The Understanding Brother
by LenniluvsBrian
Summary: The TMNT & their lil' sisters. One's always left out & ignored. Everyone seems ot hate her. All but one. Her 'understanding brother', who promises to protect her & keep her from harm. The question is, how well can he keep his promise to her?
1. Fear of heights

The Understanding Brother  
  
A.N. This story is loosely based on the dream last night. Sadly, I CAN'T remember everything that happened, but luckily, I remember the majority of it. These aren't the EXACT conversations held; well, they are kinda, but NOT the exact words anyway. Hope y'all like it! Also, to anyone who ain't in it. Sorry! But this is all I can remember being there. There were more, I think, but I can't remember who the others were. Again, I apologize for that. Also, I've added a couple parts, 'cause one minute people were once place & the next they were somewhere else. Luvs y'all! *Hugs* Enjoy!  
  
Eight year-old, Lenore, was running around her new home, using her imagination to basically play by herself. Her other siblings had all taken off on her yet again. As she was running she spotted the youngest out of her older brothers.  
  
"Mikey!" She cried, smiling and waving at him.  
  
Michaelangelo turned away and waved back at his sister, smiling as well. He knew she tended to feel left out at times, like he had before their sisters had all come along. Actually, she seemed to be left out for than he'd been.  
  
"Can you play, Mikey?" She called.  
  
"Sorry Kiddo!" He called back. "I'm kinda busy right now."  
  
"Oh," she said, her shoulders sagging and her face drooping slightly.  
  
"But, I'll play when I'm done, okay?"  
  
She looked back up at him, her eyes shining. "Really?" She asked hopefully, as she stopped before him.  
  
Michaelangelo crouched down to her height. "Really," he smiled. "As soon as I'm done, we'll play."  
  
Lenore impulsively hugged him, knowing that he wouldn't get mad at her for it. She loved to hug people, but usually when she went to hug them, they'd yell at her for no good reason. As a result, she ended up only hugging Michaelangelo, unless she'd a weak moment and couldn't control herself. She still remembered the last time she'd hugged Raphael. It had NOT gone well. The hug had resulted with her crying after being brutally shoved to the ground and him all mad because Master Splinter had told him off. She'd also been told to only hug those who wanted hugs. But, how could she not hug someone she loved so dearly? Even if he was pretty mean to her most of the time.  
  
"Thanks Mikey," she whispered.  
  
Michaelangelo hugged her back. He couldn't understand why his brothers hated hugging her. They hugged their other little sisters, but never Lenore. It was as though she'd cooties or something along the lines of that.  
  
"You're welcome, Munchkin," Michaelangelo said. "Now, run along and play. The faster I finish what I'm doing, the faster I can join you in whatever game you're playing."  
  
She blushed slightly. "I'm playing slumber party," she told him softly, looking down at her feet. "I'm pretending I've friends who wanna sleep over, and actually listen to what I'm saying."  
  
He lifted her chin up with his hand. "Sounds like fun," he replicated, giving her a warm smile. "Can't wait to join yah."  
  
She smiled back at him and hugged him again. Then, she scampered off to play her lone game of slumber party.  
  
Awhile later he joined her, and they'd begun to chase one another around their newest lair. They'd had to move again, since they'd been found once more by the Foot. He knew he could NEVER tell her that she'd been the reason that they'd been found again. It wasn't entirely her fault. She just tended to daydream too much and accidentally wander too far, and never notice her surroundings because of it.  
  
Lenore squealed as Michaelangelo caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist. Just as he'd caught her, they heard Master Splinter call everyone.  
  
"PRACTICE TIME!" Master Splinter called. "EVERYONE TO THE DOJO PLEASE!"  
  
"Aww," Lenore groaned doing her little annoyed dance, as Michaelangelo let go of her. "I don't wanna practice! I wanna play!"  
  
"You know the rules, Kiddo," Michaelangelo said taking her hand in his. "We gotta practice."  
  
"But why?" She whined. "It's not like I'm gonna be able to go out and fight. And if I do, everyone will just leave me there by myself."  
  
"I won't leave you there," he assured her. "I promise."  
  
She hugged him again. "Thanks Mikey. I'm glad you care."  
  
"Always," he answered, smiling down at her. He took hold of her hand again. "Now, c'mon. Sensei will be mad if we're late again."  
  
She grumbled her response, but let him lead her into their new dojo, which was WAY bigger than the old one. It also had a swing thingy in it. It reminded her of the swings she'd seen on a commercial for Marine Land. The only thing was, she hated heights. With a passion. A STRONG passion.  
  
"Space yourselves out, so that everyone gets a swing," Master Splinter instructed.  
  
The 'swings', were, like the ones at Marine Land, but instead of seats, they had just bungee cord like ropes to sit on. It actually looked more like a swing ride with baby bouncing thingy's that were hung in doorways.  
  
Everyone spread out, then each had to climb into their swing. Lenore watched, as some of her sisters, were helped into theirs by their brothers, and sighed. She knew they wouldn't help her, nor would they let Michaelangelo help her. She knew Michaelangelo figured she didn't know why everyone was mad at her, but she did. Oh, she knew all right. It was her fault they'd had to leave their old home. Her sisters made sure of it that she'd known. She hadn't meant to be followed, but she'd let it happen all the same.  
  
Michaelangelo saw Lenore standing there trying to figure out how to get into her seat, so he decided to go over and help her. he was about half way there when Master Splinter stopped him.  
  
"Michaelangelo, go get seated," he ordered. "She can get in herself."  
  
Michaelangelo looked at his father as though he were right down crazy. "But." HE started. "Everyone else."  
  
Master Splinter raised his hand, silencing him. "She can do it herself, Michaelangelo. Now, I suggest that you go get in yours, before I lose patience."  
  
Michaelangelo nodded, then strolled back over to his seat and climbed in. As he was getting in, he heard Master Splinter admonish Lenore.  
  
"Lenore, get in," Master Splinter said. "Now. I would like to start as quickly as possible."  
  
Lenore looked down at her feet. "Hai, Sensei," she answered softly.  
  
She could feel all eyes on her as she struggled to get into her swing seat. She felt her face go hot, and knew in fact that she was blushing from embarrassment. It wasn't her fault she wasn't as strong or well-built as the others. It wasn't her fault she was so small and overly sensitive either.  
  
Master Splinter waited until she was in her seat. "Now, we shall begin," he riposted.  
  
First they'd had to bounce around and practice their ninjitsu. It was kind of awkward being in the swings, but they managed. While everyone was shouting out their, "Hiya's!", Lenore remained silent, even though she too was supposed to be yelling out "Hiya!"she figured if she'd kept her mouth shut, everyone would forget that she was even there.  
  
Next, Master Splinter hit the button, so that the swings spun around the room slowly enough for them to still do their ninjitsu. They all continued doing their trained moves, all identical to one another. Normally they would've all been different, but Master Splinter had made it so that for this exercise everyone did the same thing. It was easier for him to watch and correct their mistakes, so he said.  
  
The swings stopped suddenly, and they were ordered to relax. They all relaxed and let their feet dangle, just barely touching the ground. Lenore hoped that no one noticed that she could touch the floor with the lower part of her feet, and not just her toes like everyone else. Her prayers weren't answered though.  
  
"Hey!" Danceingfae cried suddenly. "Sensei! Lenore's cheating!"  
  
Everyone looked over Lenore's way. Lenore looked down at her feet, now highly embarrassed that they'd caught her. Wasn't her fault she'd grabbed the lowest swing.  
  
"She is too!" Daydream exclaimed. "Cheater!"  
  
"Cheater!" Ziptango, HexAdecimal, TygeroftheWynd, and Raphiella all shouted.  
  
"Sensei! That's NOT fair!" Arista yelled. "She should have to be higher like the rest of us!"  
  
"Lenore, I think I shall raise your swing," Master Splinter said, heading over towards her.  
  
"NOOOO!" Lenore shrieked shrilly. "PLEASE SENSEI! NOOO!"  
  
Master Splinter raised his eyebrows at her. "Dare to disagree, do you?"  
  
"Please Sensei!" Lenore begged. "Please don't raise it any higher. I NEED to be able to touch the floor! Please!"  
  
Much to her dismay, her tears began to fall, as Master Splinter raised her seat up WAY higher than everybody else's. She hung about three feet above the floor.  
  
"Please Master," she pleaded through tears. "Please don't!"  
  
"Lenore, you have to learn to be honest and not cheat," Master Splinter informed her. "I am disappointed in you, young lady. You ought to know better by now."  
  
Lenore glanced around and saw her sisters smirking at her, while her brothers tried not to laugh. The only one not showing any emotion whatsoever was Michaelangelo. He seemed lost in thought. Deep thought.  
  
Michaelangelo felt bad, as he'd promised Lenore he wouldn't let anything happen to her. Yet, here he was, letting people mock her and hurt her. He wanted to stop Master Splinter from raising her swing. He knew why she didn't want it raised, and was the only one who knew. He'd been there all those times she'd tried to tell everyone that she'd a fear of heights, but not a single one of them had listened. Not even Master Splinter. He'd hoped her fear would never become a factor, but his hopes obviously hadn't been answered, as it'd just happened. Her fear had become a factor.  
  
Master Splinter started up the swings, making it go as fast, then faster, and faster, and faster. He wanted to teach her a lesson. He was also still upset that she'd led the Foot to their old home.  
  
Lenore began to scream as soon as the swing started up and began spinning around the room. Her tears fell harder and faster as she screamed hysterically and clung to the ropes so tight her knuckles went white. She watched as her siblings all enjoyed the ride. Even Michaelangelo didn't seem to mind it all that much.  
  
"Lenore! Stop your screaming!" Master Splinter barked from the floor. "Now!"  
  
But she couldn't stop. Not right then. Not even if she had wanted to, would she be able to stop screaming. Her throat was beginning to hurt from screaming so long and so loud, but she still couldn't stop. She was too scared to do anything, but scream and hold on tight. Her fingers were starting to cramp, but she refused to let go, even for a split second. She wouldn't lean back either, as she'd done that the first time around by mistake. That just made things worse, as it'd felt as though she were falling. The faster the swing went, the sicker she felt. She could feel her stomach doing flips flops, and thought she would hurl at any given second.  
  
Finally, Master Splinter stopped the swing. Everyone groaned, as they'd liked the free ride, which was never apart of the training sessions. He eyes his youngest child, and noted she looked ill, but also knew that she'd needed to be taught a lesson. He saw Michaelangelo jump out of his seat, and was going to admonish him, but figured he'd wait and see.  
  
Michaelangelo jumped out of his seat as soon as the swing stopped and automatically ran for Lenore. Once he'd reached her, he lifted he down, as he saw everyone climbing out of their seats, as practice was now over.  
  
"You okay?" He asked her.  
  
Lenore hugged him tightly, not ever wanting to let go, and buried her head into his plastron. Her tears were still falling and she was shaking like a leaf. Never in her life had she been so scared. Not even when she'd been three and the Foot had captured her. But, then again, ALL four of her brothers had saved her then. They'd ALL cared about her then; now, it was only Michaelangelo who still made sure that she knew he cared.  
  
Michaelangelo rubbed her shell gently. "It's okay Kiddo," he whispered. "It's okay. I promise." He kissed her head and rocked her slightly and slowly, knowing she felt nauseous.  
  
Lenore cuddled into him even more, wishing all her brothers still acted like this. She loved her sisters too, but had never really gotten along with any of them except for Ziptango and Daydream. But then, even they had turned on her, and joined the others in making fun of her. And all because she was the baby. Oh, how she hated that fact some days, though she usually loved it the next. She hated it because she was forever being teased, left out, and ignored. But then she loved it because at times she could get away with things that no one else could. Well, as long as Master Splinter was in a good mood she could. Lately though, all he ever id anymore was yell at her for stupid little things. She was sick of being admonished for everything she did, whether she'd thought it right and fun or not.  
  
Master Splinter came over to the two still standing in the dojo. "I expect next time, you will be honest and not try and cheat," he said. "Practicing your ninjitsu properly is very important. If done wrong, you will not learn anything from it."  
  
Lenore ignored him, and just sobbed into Michaelangelo, still unable to calm down.  
  
"My child, you need to learn to control yourself," Master Splinter went on. "And there will be no more of this shrill screaming during practice. It is not proper."  
  
"M-Mikey." Lenore whimpered.  
  
Michaelangelo kissed her head, then looked at their father. "Sensei," he began. "She's a fear of heights. That's why she didn't say anything when she realized she wasn't as high. That's also why she screamed so much. She was scared."  
  
"All must overcome their fears," Master Splinter responded.  
  
"Master Splinter, eight-year olds do NOT need to overcome their fears," Michaelangelo snapped. "Especially not in the way you just did. If anything, I think you just made her fear even worse."  
  
"Michaelangelo, you shall not talk to me in such tone," Master Splinter retorted. "You shall do ten flips once she is calm, and in her room." He looked at Lenore once more. "Grounded," he told her. "Also, no more of this running about the lair, and acting silly. I will not stand for silliness when you should be doing something more constructive with your siblings."  
  
"How can she do stuff with them, if they won't talk to her?" Michaelangelo rejoined. "Nobody's talking to her, now that we're here. They wouldn't talk to her before either."  
  
"Michaelangelo."  
  
"I'll do the ten flips Sensei, but I don't agree with you on this," Michaelangelo stated. "Not one bit."  
  
He carried Lenore out of the room, and set her on the couch. "Here," he said softly. "Watch cartoons 'till I'm done, okay?"  
  
"But.but.Master Splinter said."  
  
"I know what he said. Now, just do as I say for now, alright?"  
  
"Alright," Lenore answered, shrugging slightly and looking a tad worried.  
  
"No trouble, I promise." He kisses her head, then goes off to do his ten flips.  
  
Lenore sat there watching cartoons when Ziptango and Daydream approached her.  
  
"What do you guys want?" Lenore asked nervously.  
  
"To watch cartoons with you," Daydream answered.  
  
"Yeah," Ziptango agreed. "We're sorry for picking on yah lately. Danceingfae and HexAdecimal said it would be fun, and that it was okay."  
  
"Why aren't you with them then?"  
  
"Mikey made us see that we've been wrong," Ziptango answered, lowering her head some. "We never meant to hurt you, Lenni."  
  
Oh. To be called 'Lenni' again, was such a great thing. Nobody had called her that in months!  
  
"Wanna watch Alvin and the Chipmunks with me?" Lenore queried. "They're coming on next. Then the Flintstones."  
  
"Sure," Daydream smiled, as her and Ziptango sat next to her on the couch.  
  
"Hey, Dweebs," Arista began. "What are yah doing sitting here with the loser?"  
  
"Yeah," Raphiella added. "You know what we think of her."  
  
"Dweebs! Dweebs!" HexAdecimal and TygeroftheWynd chanted.  
  
"Leave them alone girls," Donatello ordered, as he came in and sat down on the other end of the couch, next to Ziptango. "Mikey was right when he said we're all just being mean. It wasn't her fault. None of us would go with her, so she assumed it was okay to go off on her own. You've all done it yourself."  
  
"Raph! Leo!" The girls cried, running off to find their brothers. "Donnie is agreeing with Mikey!"  
  
"Traitor," Raphael muttered as he walked by and whacked Donatello upside the head.  
  
Leonardo sent him a cold glare. "I hope you're happy that we've divided in half now."  
  
"Very happy," Donatello answered, pulling all three girls on the couch into his lap. "And Leo, for once, as like a good older brother, and not a stubborn, know-it-all leader, who holds grudges against their little sisters."  
  
Michaelangelo re-entered the den then, and plopped down on the couch next to Donatello. "What is this? Squash Donnie day?" He questioned, smiling.  
  
Lenore grinned at him. "Yep. Sure is Mikey."  
  
Michaelangelo ruffled her hair, then pulled Daydream into his lap so that Donatello wasn't so crowded. He wrapped his arms around Daydream and kissed her head. "Glad to have yah back," he whispered.  
  
Daydream looked up at him and grinned. "Glad to be back," she answered.  
  
Leonardo, Raphael, Danceingfae, HexAdecimal, Raphiella, TygeroftheWynd, and Arista all stalked off into another room to play Monopoly.  
  
Lenore glanced up at Donatello. She bit her lower lip and thought a moment, before finally saying what she'd been wanting to say for months, but never for fear he'd yell at her again. "I love you Donnie."  
  
Donatello kissed her head. "Love you too, Lenni." He kissed Ziptango's head next. "You to Zippy."  
  
Ziptango grinned, and cuddled into him, as did Lenore, while Daydream cuddled with Michaelangelo. The five of them then sat there wand watched cartoons for the rest of the day, and enjoyed spending their time together.  
  
A.N.: Hope y'all liked my story! More chapters to come! As more happened in the dream! It'll be mainly Mikey & me though, in future chapters for bit. Oh, & Master Splinter. Plz R & R! Thanx! Adios! *Hugs* KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	2. The Boardwalk

A.N.: *sighs* Okie. Here we go again. Glad y'all liked the first chapter! Please note that 'Splinter' is the author, & Master Splinter is, obviously, Master Splinter. K? Thanx! Daydream: You ARE the youngest outta ALL of us, but when I dreamt this I was the youngest. That's why I'm the baby in the story & not you. I'm not goin' by reality, I'm goin' by what was in my dream, k? *Hugs* Also, if this one seems kinda . ah . odd . in anyway, it's 'cause I found out last night that BSB might actually not be making another album, even though they promised us one. *Tears* Oh, and I gave y'all bandanas. If I haven't stated what colour your bandana is, or even if I have, it's in brackets after your name at the end of your part. Well, 'cept Daydream, Splinter, & Machias. Theirs are stated earlier, and are only mentioned once during your part. They're all mentioned again near the very end of the chapter. Hope this lil' paragraph made sense. *sheepish grin* If it don't, sorry. I think I confused myself with it anyway. Lol. *Shrugs* Meh. Plus, Ziptango, Daydream, Raphiella, TygeroftheWynd, & I are all eight. While, Danceingfae, Machias, Splinter, HexAdecimal, TMNTPunker are all nine. The guys are fourteen.  
  
"Please Mikey?" Lenore begged. "Pretty puh-lease!"  
  
"Lenore, you know what Sensei said," Michaelangelo answered. "You're not allowed out. A), you're grounded, and B), the Foot's back again."  
  
"But Mikey!" Lenore protested. "You promised!"  
  
Michaelangelo groaned. Why'd he have to promise to take her to the boardwalk? Why?  
  
"Fine, but don't go telling the others," Michaelangelo said giving in finally. She'd only been driving him crazy for the past ten minutes. "Now, get you're coat and we'll go."  
  
"Thank-you!" Lenore cried, giving him a quick hug before darting off to get her coat.  
  
Michaelangelo rolled his eyes slightly and shook his head. "Why'd she have to be the cutest whiner ever?" He wondered aloud.  
  
"Hey Mikey!" Daydream called. "You wanna play Twister?"  
  
"Maybe later Daydream," Michaelangelo answered. "I'm busy right now."  
  
Daydream came over and climbed into his lap. "You're going out, aren't you?" She asked. "You're gonna be like Raph, and go out against Sensei's orders."  
  
Michaelangelo patted her head and tweaked her light orange and white polka dotted bandana. "Day, you pay too much attention to your surroundings sometimes," he told her. "And don't tell anybody, k? I'll be in trouble if I get caught."  
  
"Okie," Daydream shrugged, then queried, "Can I come?"  
  
"No. Sorry Kiddo," he said ruffling her hair.  
  
"Ready Mikey!" Lenore exclaimed, coming back holding onto her coat.  
  
"Hey! If I can't go, how come she gets to?" Daydream wanted to know. "That's NOT fair!"  
  
"Day, I promised her long ago I'd take her out, alright?"  
  
"Can't I tag along?"  
  
"No!" Lenore answered quickly. "It's just me and Mikey!"  
  
"But." Daydream tried.  
  
"Sorry. But I did promise."  
  
"Meanie!" Daydream cried, before running off to find her other sisters.  
  
Michaelangelo sighed and stood up. If he could've taken her and known for a fact she wouldn't wander off on him, he would've taken her. Heck. He would've taken anyone who'd wanted to go. But, as it was, he wasn't even supposed to be taking Lenore out, for the reasons he'd told her earlier. Especially the second one.  
  
"C'mon Munchkin," he sighed, taking her hand in his. "Let's go before I change my mind."  
  
Lenore grinned up at him as they left the lair together. She loved going places with Michaelangelo. Out of her four brothers, she found him to be the coolest. The nicest too. Though, Donatello could be just as cool as Michaelangelo when he wanted to be.  
  
"Hey! Where's Mikey going?" Ziptango asked Daydream. "I thought we weren't allowed leaving the lair."  
  
Daydream looked thoughtful for a moment. Michaelangelo had told her not to tell anybody. But, surely he hadn't meant Ziptango was included as well. Like, c'mon. It was Ziptango. They told each other EVERYTHING.  
  
"Out," Daydream responded quietly. "He's taking Lenore out 'cause he promised."  
  
"Where they going?" Ziptango questioned in a whisper, fixing her dark purple bandana.  
  
"The boardwalk," Daydream whispered back.  
  
"Mikey's going to the boardwalk?!?" Machias, who'd been eavesdropping, cried.  
  
"What?" Daydream said stunned. "No!"  
  
"Then where's he going?" Splinter, with a rustic brown bandana, interrogated. "Hmm?"  
  
"Where's who going?" Arista asked as she came up to the group. "What are yah talking 'bout?"  
  
"Mikey took off and Daydream's trying to cover for him," Machias stated.  
  
"MIKEY?" Danceingfae said, disbelief in her voice. "No way! I thought only Raph did that!"  
  
"Yes way," Splinter nodded. "And, apparently not."  
  
"Oh, great," Raphiella piped up rolling her eyes. "Splinter's been studying her vocab words."  
  
"How can yah tell?" TygeroftheWynd queried.  
  
"She's using bigger words than usual," Raphiella shrugged. "We don't usually say 'apparently'."  
  
"Ahh," TygeroftheWynd acknowledged, nodding slightly, the ends of her black and orange bandana bobbing. "I see."  
  
"SENSEI!" Machias screamed suddenly.  
  
"What it is Machias?" Master Splinter asked, coming out of his study. "Why are you yelling?"  
  
"Mikey left without telling anybody!" Machias exclaimed.  
  
"And, how do you know this?"  
  
"I heard Daydream telling Ziptango!" Machias answered.  
  
"Me too!" Splinter put in. "I heard her tell Ziptango too!"  
  
Master Splinter eyed his second youngest daughter. "Daydream, do you know something that I do not?"  
  
Daydream looked at her feet, and felt her face go hot. She knew she was blushing. She'd promised Michaelangelo she wouldn't tell a soul, and now EVERYONE knew that he'd gone out.  
  
"Daydream?"  
  
"Hai," Daydream whispered.  
  
She felt everyone's eyes on her, and hung her head even lower. She felt worse for breaking her promise to Michaelangelo, than she did for keeping the information from Master Splinter.  
  
"Where has he gone, my child?" Master Splinter interrogated.  
  
"The boardwalk," Daydream mumbled.  
  
Master Splinter eyed the girls, noting one was missing, as always. "Did he happen to take Lenore with him?"  
  
Daydream shuffled her feet.  
  
"Daydream, you shall look at me when spoken too," Master Splinter admonished. "Now, answer. Did he take Lenore with him?"  
  
"Hai, Sensei," Daydream said softly. "He promised her long ago."  
  
"Thank-you," Master Splinter replied. "Daydream, go to your room. You are grounded for the rest of the day for trying to cover for Michaelangelo."  
  
Daydream sighed, but went to her room without so much as a single word. She didn't feel like getting in any more trouble. It was bad enough knowing that Michaelangelo was going to be mad at her now.  
  
Master Splinter turned to the others. "Machias, Splinter, you two shall do ten flips for eavesdropping and tattling," he informed them. "Then you two are to go to your rooms, as you are grounded for today as well."  
  
"Hey!" Machias exclaimed. "How come Daydream don't have to do ten flips?"  
  
"Uh-oh," Arista whispered to Danceingfae. "She's arguing with Sensei."  
  
Danceingfae, whose eyes had gone wide, nodded. "Uh-huh."  
  
Splinter quickly took off for the dojo after a stern look from their father. She did not wish to share the same consequences as Machias anymore. No way hosée.  
  
"Machias, do not question me," Master Splinter stated. "You know I do not like to be questioned."  
  
"But it's NOT fair!" Machias protested.  
  
"Hey, wanna go play Twister?" Ziptango asked her sisters. "TMNTPunker and HexAdecimal are hunting down the game right now."  
  
"Yeah," everyone agreed. "Let's find Punker and Hex."  
  
Danceingfae (orange with white stripe), Arista (light blue), Raphiella (reddish orange), TygeroftheWynd (black & orange), and Ziptango (dark purple) all took off to find TMNTPunker (navy blue) and HexAdecimal (bright red with black stripe) then.  
  
Machias remained where she was, trying to stare down her father, as she was in a stubborn mood right then. She just hoped the consequences of her actions wouldn't be too severe.  
  
Meanwhile, Michaelangelo and Lenore were wandering around on the boardwalk. They'd played a couple games, and had gotten cotton candy and snow cones.  
  
"Here yah go Lenni," Michaelangelo smiled, passing her a teddy bear. "Now you've got company for yah old Teddy."  
  
"Thanks Mikey," Lenore grinned, taking the bear then hugging her brother tight. "I love him already, and I know Teddy will too."  
  
She dragged him over to another game then, and insisted on winning him a prize now, since he'd already won her one. She took the money he gave her, then prepared her water gun, for the bulls-eye game she loved ever so much. The bell rang, and she automatically squirted the water from her gun to the center point of the bulls-eye, under the number 5. soon she heard the bells going off again, and the announcer saying that player number 5 had won. She beamed up at Michaelangelo as she passed him the stuffed dinosaur she'd just won for him.  
  
"Here yah go Mikey," she said. "His name's . ah . Dippy."  
  
"Dippy?" Michaelangelo checked, as she nodded. "Why Dippy?"  
  
"Um . yah love chip dip?" She shrugged. "I dunno. It was the first name I could think of."  
  
Michaelangelo laughed and took her hand in his again. "You're crazy, yah know that Lenni?"  
  
"No crazier than you," she joked. "Zip says I've been hanging with you so much that I'm starting to act like you. Daydream too."  
  
"I think Zip's right," Michaelangelo chuckled. "You and Day are pretty crazy."  
  
Lenore playfully shoved him, then let go of his hand, and ran off ahead to the fun house. "C'mon Mikey!" She called. "Hurry up! I wanna go in!"  
  
Michaelangelo hurried up and followed her in. they had a blast in the fun house. Once they came back out, they went and each got another snow cone. He got an orange one, while Lenore got a blue one.  
  
Lenore was licking her blue snow cone, highly enjoying her alone time with Michaelangelo. She HATED sharing him with her sisters. She'd never admit it, but she got jealous of them quite easily. She felt as though they were loved more than her, and got way more attention too.  
  
She was still eating her snow cone, when she happened to look over by the road. What she saw made her wish she'd never begged Michaelangelo to take her out. She watched silently, as the Foot looked around every which way, as though they were looking for something . or someone.  
  
Without thinking she quickly turned, clutched her teddy, and jumped off the boardwalk, into the water below. She surfaced, then waited for Michaelangelo to look her way.  
  
Michaelangelo heard a splash and looked down, only to find Lenore waving frantically for him to join her down in the water. He shrugged, stuff his dinosaur into his inside coat pocket, and jumped in.  
  
Once he'd surfaced he looked at his sister, and both of them spoke at once. "Man, I love being a turtle."  
  
He eyed her then, noticing she looked worried. "What's wrong, Kiddo?"  
  
"The Foot's here!" She hissed. "They're on the road. I think they spotted me, 'cause I stared straight at one."  
  
They heard rapid footsteps getting closer then, and shared a look.  
  
Michaelangelo remained calm, as not to freak his baby sister out. "Quick!" He ordered. "Hide under the bridge!"  
  
He ducked under the bottom of it, then watched as Lenore ducked under just in time. He signaled for her to be quiet, even though she was trying to get her breath. He pulled her close and held her as the waves tried to knock them under and shove them out of their hiding spot. Their hoods had fallen off, but right then, all he cared about was keeping her safe.  
  
"Shh," he whispered in her ear, as he heard voices right above them. He knew it was the Foot wondering just where they had gone.  
  
Lenore nodded, too scared to do anything else, other than hold onto him and try not to swallow the water.  
  
They waited quietly, and once they were sure no one was there, Michaelangelo peeked out. Once he was sure it was safe, he signaled for her to come out.  
  
"C'mon," he said. "We gotta get outta here and home before they come back. They'll be bringing reinforcements too."  
  
Lenore let her shoulders sag sadly, and then swam after him. She swam as best and as fast as she could; she knew he was going much slower than he actually could, as to wait for her. She hated herself for slowing him down. She began to grow tired, thus slowing her down even more. Michaelangelo seemed to sense this, as he turned to look at her then.  
  
"You okay Kiddo?" He asked, eyeing her suspiciously.  
  
She nodded slightly. "Y-yeah."  
  
He eyed her another moment, before pulling her over to him, and placing her arms around his neck. "Hold on. I'll swim for both of us now, k?"  
  
"Th-thanks," Lenore managed, as she choked on a bit of water.  
  
Michaelangelo then swam until he reached shore. Once he reached shore, he shoved her out, and then climbed out himself. He laid down next to her, panting, as he was exhausted from the long swim he'd just had. And having her on his back hadn't helped him much either.  
  
Lenore smiled to herself, glad that she'd gone out with Michaelangelo and not anyone else. He always seemed to know what she was thinking. He could read her like a book, like no one else could. Sure, Ziptango and Daydream could read her some days, but nowhere near as good as Michaelangelo. He knew EVERYTHING thing. Everything from her moods, to her secrets, to her favourite things. He knew it all by heart.  
  
(A.N. Lol. I'm listening to "Get Down (You're The One For Me)" & when I heard Brian singing, for some odd reason I thought it was Mikey. Whoopsie! *looks sheepish* Sorry Daydream! I got BSB on the brain! Lol. Okie. Back to story now . )  
  
While they were lying there, they heard what sounded like someone coming closer. Michaelangelo quickly sat up and pulled Lenore over to him, and hid her behind his back. He was NOT about to let her get hurt. Especially not after he'd swam all that way. No way Dude!  
  
He was slightly relieved to see that it was only Master Splinter. He then realized that they'd been caught and were probably in more trouble that ever.  
  
"Michaelangelo, you are to take your sister, and return home immediately!" Master Splinter ordered. "You know better than to disobey orders!"  
  
"Hai, Sensei," Michaelangelo nodded. He stood up just as the Foot immerged from the trees. "Ack!"  
  
He grabbed Lenore's hand and began to run after Master Splinter. They reached a street, and dove into a car. Lenore had slipped out of his hand, and was too slow, so she jumped onto the back of it, just as Master Splinter hit the shift stick to get it going. He watched fearfully as she tried to hang onto the back of the car, while it careened all over the place, as Master Splinter had no idea as how to drive.  
  
Lenore glanced back over her shoulder, only to see the Foot gaining on them. Oh, how she wanted to be in Michaelangelo's arms and able to cry. As it was, she was stuck holding on for dear life, as their father attempted his best to drive them to safety.  
  
"Out of all the cars on the road, he just had to grab the oldest looking one there, didn't he?" She thought. "Him and his antiques."  
  
She cried out as she almost flew off, after speeding around a hairpin turn. It was then she realized she'd best try to get into the car, or wind up severely hurt. She slowly, yet carefully, maneuvered herself so that she was now at the side door of the car. She banged on the window to get Master Splinter's attention. He leaned over and opened the door, grabbing her just as her hands slipped off the car, and she started to fall.  
  
Master Splinter yanked his youngest into the car, and shoved her towards Michaelangelo, who immediately embraced her and held her close. He could hear his son talking to her, and trying to calm her down.  
  
"Shh," Michaelangelo soothed. "It's alright, Lenni. We're almost home. I swear I won't let them get you."  
  
They were finally able to lose the Foot, and very quickly fled from the car. Master Splinter led Michaelangelo, who was carrying Lenore, back to the lair in silence. Once in the lair, he turned to face them.  
  
"What were you thinking go out there, after I said not to?" He demanded angrily. "Michaelangelo, I thought you knew better than that!"  
  
"I didn't think they'd be at the boardwalk," Michaelangelo admitted sheepishly. "I wasn't gonna go, but I promised her the other day I'd take her."  
  
"And it could not have waited a few more days, until I had given the go ahead?"  
  
Michaelangelo looked down. "I'm sorry Master Splinter," he apologized.  
  
An orange and white polka dot bandana, along with a rustic brown one, an orange with white stripe one, a light blue one, a reddish orange one, a black and orange one, a dark purple one, a navy blue one, a bright red with black stripe one, a blue one, and a red one all appeared in different doorways then. Everyone else wanted to witness what was going on, and make sure that the two guilty parties weren't punished any less than they were when they'd done wrong.  
  
"Lenore, what do you have to say for yourself?" Master Splinter interrogated. "Are you happy knowing that because you talked Michaelangelo into taking you out, you just about got both of you killed?"  
  
"N-No," Lenore answered, looking down at the floor, her arms still wrapped around her brother's neck. "I-I'm sorry Sensei."  
  
"Michaelangelo, you are grounded for two weeks, and owe me thirty ten flips," Master Splinter began. "Lenore, you are grounded for a month. This is the second time that the Foot, have found us because of you. I will not stand for it any longer."  
  
"Hai," Lenore whispered, her eyes beginning to water.  
  
Everyone was silent. They hadn't known that Master Splinter too, like some of them, still blamed Lenore for their sudden discovery and move.  
  
Lenore squirmed until Michaelangelo finally put her down. Once she was free of him, she glanced around the room, her tears starting to fall, then very quickly darted off to her room.  
  
HexAdecimal and TMNTPunker waited until everyone else had gone about their business, before going to visit their sister. They knocked once, then hurriedly entered her room. They tried not to laugh, as all the could see coming out from under the bed, was the tail ends of a bright blue and yellow bandana that had been carelessly left out.  
  
"Lenni, come out from there," HexAdecimal said softly. "Master Splinter ain't here. Neither are Raph and Leo."  
  
Lenore slowly re-emerged from under the bed. She got up and sat between them on the bed. "Is everyone mad at me again?" She asked softly, not daring to look at either of them.  
  
"No," HexAdecimal answered.  
  
"No?" Lenore repeated, looking up at them shocked.  
  
"No," TMNTPunker laughed. "We wish we had've gone instead."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah," TMNTPunker nodded. "I mean, you may be grounded and all, but hey, you still gotta brand new teddy bear out of it."  
  
Lenore smiled then. "You're right," she said. "I did." She pulled her teddy bear out of her coat. "Mikey won him for me."  
  
"Yep, we envy you," HexAdecimal replied. "Now, where are yah gonna put him?"  
  
"I dunno," Lenore shrugged. "He's gotta dry before I can sleep with him."  
  
"Hey! Let's make it a game!" TMNTPunker exclaimed softly. "We can see who can find him the best spot."  
  
"Okay," Lenore and HexAdecimal agreed.  
  
"By the way, what's his name?" HexAdecimal queried.  
  
"Chippy," Lenore giggled.  
  
"Chippy?" TMNTPunker repeated. "Why?"  
  
"Because Mikey's dinosaur is named Dippy."  
  
"Oh," the two girls laughed.  
  
The three of them then set out to find the best spot for Chippy to reside, until he was dry again.  
  
While the girls were all off doing their own thing, and his brother did their thing, Michaelangelo was standing in his room holding a purple dinosaur. "Hmm . Where shall I put you, Dippy?" He wondered aloud. "Ah . wait. I know." He set the dinosaur on top of the bookshelf, which held all his prized comic books. "There, now you'll be where I can always see and find yah." He smiled contently, then plopped down onto his bed to lie there and think.  
  
A.N.: Hope y'all liked this chapter as much as yah liked the last! Long enough? Lol. Plz R & R! Thanx! *Hugs* Adios! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	3. Craziness & the Foot Attack

A.N.: I'm baack! Lol. *grins & waves* Glad y'all liked the last chapter! Hope y'all like this one too! TygeroftheWynd: You'll get your bandana, but still have the other one as well. Arista: Sorry I forgot to post your age! I thought I had! You're 9 as well! Mily: SO sorry I forgot you! I knew I was forgetting someone, but couldn't figure out whom! Again, I'm terribly sorry. Glad yah like the story though. Also, you're 8, in this story. To all: Y'all aren't too nice in this chapter, so I thought I'd give yah fair warning. There's a reason for it, so don't worry. I know y'all ain't mean. I've chatted with most of yah; you're all cool. I'm just goin' by my dream, k? K. *hugs* Enjoy!  
  
Flashback. (old home)  
  
"Hey Zip, yah wanna go for a walk?" Lenore asked. "I'm gonna go exploring."  
  
"No," Ziptango answered. "I'm busy right now."  
  
"Whatcha doing, Zip?"  
  
"I'm waiting for Daydream to come back, so we can get on with our game of Memory," Ziptango told her.  
  
"Oh," Lenore said, then looked to her other sister sitting there. "Mily, you wanna come with me?"  
  
"No," Mily answered. "Sorry. But I'm playing too."  
  
Lenore sighed. "Okie. I'll go see if I can find someone else to go with me."  
  
She went off in search of her other siblings. She found Leonardo, TMNTPunker, and Arista all in the dojo. Arista and TMNTPunker were trying to copy Leonardo's every move.  
  
"Hey, anyone wanna go exploring?" Lenore called.  
  
Before her sisters could answer, Leonardo turned on her. "Lenore, you know you're not allowed to go off wandering by yourself."  
  
"That's why I'm asking people Leo," she rejoined. "I'm not stupid."  
  
"They're not going, and neither are you," Leonardo stated. "They're practicing, like you should be."  
  
"Get a life Leo," Lenore retorted rolling her eyes. "Having fun is better than katas ANY day."  
  
Before Leonardo could reply, she took off out of the dojo, not in the mood to receive a brotherly lecture from him. She wanted into the den again, only to find more people in there now. Raphael was sitting on the couch with Raphiella, HexAdecimal, and TygeroftheWynd.  
  
"Hey, guys?" Lenore said, going over to them.  
  
Red, blue & white, red & black, and reddish orange all blurred together as the four turned their heads to look at her.  
  
"What?" TygeroftheWynd asked, removing the ends of her blue & white bandana from her eyes. Her orange and black one was in the wash.  
  
"You wanna go out for a bit?" Lenore queried. "Sensei said we could."  
  
"Did he really Lenore?" Raphael questioned, studying her face. "Or, are you just saying that 'cause you wanna go out?"  
  
"He did!" Lenore cried. "I swear it!"  
  
"We're watching a movie," HexAdecimal informed her, twirling the tips of her red and black bandana around her fingers. "Raph even let us pick this time."  
  
"Yeah!" Raphiella agreed, reddish orange tails bobbing as she nodded. "He did! We're watching A Bugs Life!"  
  
"Oh, cool. I love that movie," Lenore responded, then said in a fake accent, "And I quote, 'I am a cute little bumblebee.' 'I am a beautiful butterfly.' 'Oh, but I am flying. From way up here, you all look like little ants.'"  
  
"Shh! Lenni!" HexAdecimal groaned, throwing a pillow at her. "Raph's never seen it! Don't go ruining the funny parts!"  
  
"Sor-ry," Lenore grumbled, then stalked off for the Donatello's lab. In there she found him, Machias, and Splinter. "Hey gang."  
  
"Shh! Donnie's fixing my remote control car!" Machias hissed, the white stars on her red bandana blurring together when she turned her head. "He needs quiet!"  
  
"And you mean he's getting it with you two here?" Lenore queried. "Pff. Yeah, right."  
  
"He was until you came in!" Splinter exclaimed, re-tying her rustic brown bandana. "You're always being too loud!"  
  
"Am not!" Lenore protested. "I can be quiet!"  
  
"Then, please, do be quiet," Donatello, piped up suddenly. "I'm trying to concentrate, and can't with all the bickering you three are doing."  
  
"Sorry, Donnie," they apologized.  
  
Machias and Splinter glared at Lenore until she finally left Donatello's lab. She went off in search of Michaelangelo and Danceingfae. The only ones she hadn't found yet. Well, she hadn't found Daydream either, but Ziptango had said she was playing Memory too, so she didn't think she'd want to go.  
  
Lenore aimlessly wandered into the kitchen, and wasn't too surprised when she found Michaelangelo in there with Danceingfae & Daydream at his heels.  
  
"But I need a cookie for Zip and Mily too!" Daydream insisted. "Really! I'm not gonna eat 'em! I swear Mikey! Please?"  
  
"Day, Dance and I are TRYING to finish baking here," Michaelangelo informed her. "I already gave you three cookies. What happened to them?"  
  
"I-I ate them," Daydream admitted sheepishly. "But they looked SO good! I couldn't resist! I didn't know they were for Ziptango and Mily too! You never said that!"  
  
Michaelangelo groaned, but passed her two more cookies anyway. "This is it Day," he said. "Now, be sure to give these to Zip and Mily. And don't go telling everybody I'm giving out cookies. Master Splinter finds out, and I'll be in trouble for letting you girls spoil your dinner."  
  
"Okie," Daydream grinned. "Thanks Mikey!" She darted past Lenore then, to go give Ziptango and Mily their cookies.  
  
Michaelangelo shook his head, and went to turn back towards the counter, but stopped when he spotted Lenore standing there. "I suppose you want a cookie now too, right?"  
  
Lenore gave him a sheepish grin. "Maybe," she squeaked.  
  
He shook his head again, but handed her a cookie. "Don't let it spoil your dinner. Sensei's gonna figure out Day had sugar if she don't calm down, and then he won't let us have these for dessert."  
  
Lenore nodded, her blue and yellow bandana bobbing with her. "I noticed," she giggled. "Day's gone a crazy!"  
  
"I just hope nobody else notices," Michaelangelo replied. "If so, say adios to the cookies."  
  
There was a slight thud then, and Danceingfae's voice shortly followed it. "Mikey!"  
  
Michaelangelo looked over at his other sister, and couldn't help but laugh. Danceingfae had knocked the bowl of batter over and was now covered in cookie dough. "Dance, you're s'pose to cook it, not wear it," he chuckled.  
  
Danceingfae pouted. "I didn't mean to knock it over."  
  
Michaelangelo went over and ruffled her hair. "I know yah didn't, Sweetie," he smiled. "I tend to knock it over sometimes too."  
  
Lenore remembered why she'd come into the kitchen then. "Hey, Dudes?" She began. "Y'all wanna go exploring with me? Sensei said it's okay."  
  
"I'm kinda busy baking right now," Michaelangelo answered. "And Dance here, now needs a bath."  
  
"Oh, okay," Lenore sighed.  
  
"Sorry," Danceingfae shrugged. "But I can't go anywhere when all gooey."  
  
Lenore glanced at her sister and giggled again. "You look like a gooey glob monster."  
  
"Whoo!" Danceingfae shouted, chasing Lenore out of the kitchen.  
  
"Ahhh!" Lenore shrieked, fleeting as fast as she could.  
  
Michaelangelo laughed at them, then began to clean up the mess Danceingfae had made.  
  
Once Danceingfae had stopped chasing her around and had headed for the bathroom to clean up, Lenore stood by the doorway to the lair, thinking. "To go or not to go," she thought. "That is the question."  
  
She eyed all her siblings who were busy doing other things. Fun things. She sighed heavily. She wanted to go exploring so badly, yet couldn't find anyone to go with her. "Sensei DID say I could go," she said aloud softly. She glanced about the room, and made her decision. "Yeah, as long as someone went with you," a voice in her head argued as she darted out of the lair and into the forbidden sewer.  
  
She wandered about aimlessly for quite some time, not really caring where she was going, or paying attention to her surroundings. She'd find her way back. She always did. And today wouldn't be any different from any other day, right? Oh, if only she'd known then how wrong she'd be, she would've headed straight back for the lair and not gone out again, unaccompanied.  
  
Members of the Foot where patrolling the sewers, looking for any signs of the turtles, but not having any luck whatsoever. It was then that they'd heard the singing.  
  
"Shh! Listen!" The one hissed. He smirked to himself as the others listened and went silent.  
  
"If I had a hammer, I'd hammer in the morning. I'd hammer in the evening. I'd hammer out love between my brothers and my sister. Oh, oh, all over this land," the voice sang. "Oh, if I had a bell. I'd ring it in the morning. I'd ring it in the evening. I'd ring out love between my brothers and my sisters. Oh, oh, all over this land."  
  
It stopped then, but before anyone could say anything, it started up again.  
  
"Oh, if I had a song. I'd sing it in the morning. I'd sing it in the evening. I'd sing out love between my brothers and my sisters. Oh, oh, all over this land. Well, I've got a hammer, and I've got a bell. I've got a song to sing, all over this land. It's the hammer of justice. It's the bell of freedom. It's the song about love between, my brothers and my sisters. Oh, oh, all over this land."  
  
The Foot looked at one another puzzled. Wasn't it, I'd hammer out warning and I'd hammer out danger? What was this person singing about? Just then, they saw a young turtle, with a blue and yellow bandana walk by, still singing, but a different song this time.  
  
"Everybody. Yeah. Rock your body. Yeah. Everybody, rock your body right. Backstreet's back, alright," she sang. "So, everybody, everywhere. Don't be afraid, don't have no fear. Gonna tell the world, make it understand. As long as there be music, we'll be coming back again."  
  
The Foot members shuddered, as they hated that song with a passion. At least the first song she'd sung hadn't been so bad. Actually, it'd been kind of nice. Whoa. We're they thinking nice thoughts about their enemy? Whoa-oh. Master Shredder wouldn't like that if he knew.  
  
They watched the little female turtle sing and dance around for a couple more minutes, before deciding that they'd follow her. all they had to do was be patient enough to wait for her to go home, and not give themselves away by doing anything stupid.  
  
Lenore started to head for home, totally unaware that she was being followed, by about twenty Foot Clan members. Her young mind was too busy wandering elsewhere, and not paying any mind whatsoever to her surroundings, like it had been trained to do as a ninja.  
  
She entered the lair still singing. "Hey don't you know we're off to see the world. We're off to find our dreams. Why are our hearts beating so fast? Why is there suddenly a brand new hope inside us, that will surely last."  
  
No sooner had she entered, than did Daydream, Mily, and Ziptango all scream. Her other sisters glanced over, and screamed too. She looked at them utterly confused, but knew something was wrong when she saw Michaelangelo come out of the kitchen and his eyes go wide.  
  
Lenore slowly turned around, only to come face to face with the Foot. "A- AHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. She knew she should run away, but had suddenly frozen in fear.  
  
Master Splinter, Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael (who'd gone to the bathroom) all came running in then after hearing her scream. They'd heard the others scream, but had thought Michaelangelo was chasing them again, or something else along the lines of that. They hadn't known that the Foot had just entered their home. They'd only realized something was wrong when they heard Lenore scream, as they all knew her terrified scream quite well, as she was the fraidy-cat of the bunch. Both her and Daydream actually.  
  
Lenore stared up at her attacker, as the other Foot Clan members went after her siblings. "Um. Hi?" She gulped.  
  
Leonardo reached her then, and cut in front of her just as the Foot member had gone to strike her. he glanced over his shoulder at her quickly. "Kitchen!" He ordered. "Now!"  
  
Lenore nodded, then darted away from the battle, and into the kitchen, where her sisters were all hiding, and clinging to one another scared. She automatically ran over to Ziptango, Daydream, and Mily, as everyone else was already too crowded together, or glaring at her.  
  
Daydream squeezed her tight. "Where'd they come from?" She asked in a scared whisper. "How'd they find us?"  
  
"I don't know," Lenore replied. "I really don't."  
  
She was telling the truth too. She really did have no idea as to where they'd come from, or how they'd found the lair.  
  
Danceingfae, Arista, Raphiella, and TygeroftheWynd all inched their way over to the kitchen door, and stood there, hiding behind the walls, watching. HexAdecimal, Splinter, Machias, TMNTPunker, all huddled closer together, remaining slightly hidden by the fridge. There was a small space between the counter and the fridge, so they'd carefully wedged themselves in there the best they could. Lenore, Ziptango, Mily, and Daydream were huddled under the kitchen table. They were pretty much hidden, but still able to see the fight clearly.  
  
Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo all fought the Foot, with the occasional bit of help from master Splinter. Finally after a battle that had seemed to go on forever, all but one Foot soldier ran. He hadn't been able to run, as Raphael had him by the collar.  
  
"Okay Punk," he growled. "How'd yah find us?"  
  
"As if I'd tell you," the Foot soldier replied.  
  
"You'd better tell me, if yah don't wanna be a pile of shit," Raphael snarled. "Now, how'd yah find us."  
  
"Simple," the Foot soldier said, shrugging the best he could in Raphael's grasp. "We followed the small turtle with the yellow and blue bandana. She was so busy singing and dancing, she never even noticed that we were following her."  
  
Lenore felt sick to her stomach as she heard this. She saw master Splinter dark an angry look towards the kitchen, where he knew his daughters were hiding. She also saw all her sisters either glaring at her, or looking at her shocked.  
  
Raphael dropped the Foot member. "Scat!" He ordered angrily. "Or I'll make you pay. And tell Shred-head to stay the hell away from here and us!"  
  
The Foot soldier nodded, then ran out of the lair so fast, you could've sworn he either wasn't human, or Superman.  
  
The five in the lair, turned to look towards the kitchen. The turtles all shared a look, before glancing at their father, who looked angrier than he ever had before.  
  
"You can come out now, girls," Leonardo called, not wanting to scare them any. "The Foot's gone."  
  
All the girls, except Lenore, made their way to the doorway, and stood there eyeing their brothers and angry sensei. They'd never seen any of them mad like this before, and were kind of scared.  
  
"Girls, you must immediately go pack all your necessities into your packs," master Splinter told them calmly. "We must move quickly, as the Foot shall be back. And there will be more of them."  
  
The girls nodded, but remained where they were. Leave? He had to be kidding, right? They'd grown up here, and loved it here. He couldn't have meant what he just said, could he? There was no way they were leaving anything here, more or less leaving their beloved home.  
  
Master Splinter eyed them warily, and knew automatically which one was still in hiding. "Lenore, you are to come forth, now," he said in a tone the girls had never heard before.  
  
Lenore slowly moved to hide behind her sisters, who didn't seem to know she was even there. They were all too busy staring at Master Splinter.  
  
Master Splinter sensed her presence. "Girls, step aside please."  
  
The girls did as told, only to find Lenore standing there, suddenly looking like a deer caught in very bright headlights. They all stared at her, then Master Splinter, and then her again.  
  
Lenore felt as though she were going to throw up, and wished she were anywhere but there. She now knew it was her fault the Foot had found them. She hadn't known before, but she did now. "Last time I go off singing," she thought. She gulped. "Last time I go anywhere, if I'm reading Sensei's mind."  
  
"Come forth Lenore," Master Splinter riposted. "Now. We have not all day long to wait."  
  
She very slowly inched her way over to where he stood. She moved so slowly that a snail, for sure, could've passed and stayed ahead of her. She glanced at her brothers, who sort of completed the circle she now seemed to be caught in. she winced slightly seeing the looks on their faces. Even Michaelangelo didn't look too happy with her.  
  
"Yes, Sensei?" She said so softly, everyone but him had to strain to hear her.  
  
"Who gave you permission to go off on your own?" He asked, trying to remain calm.  
  
"You, Sensei," she answered, glancing at him quickly.  
  
"I-" He trailed off, going into thought. "If I remember correctly, I said you may go off, if someone were to go with you. I never said you could go off alone."  
  
"Nobody wanted to go," Lenore whispered, staring at her feet.  
  
"First, you shall look at me when spoken to, or when giving an answer," Master Splinter admonished. "Second, it is 'no one wanted to go', and not, 'nobody, wanted to go'. Third, you shall explain why you went off anyway."  
  
Lenore looked up at him, still ducking her head. "I-I wanted to go exploring," she explained. "I-I wasn't gonna go far, Sensei. I swear it!"  
  
"I take it you did go too far though, am I correct?"  
  
Lenore nodded sheepishly. "Hai."  
  
"And just how did you go too far without realizing?"  
  
"I-I was-was d-daydreaming," she admitted, glancing down, then quickly looked back up at him. "A-And s-singing."  
  
"DAYDREAMING?!?!" Master Splinter exploded, as she winced slightly. "A NINJA DOES NOT DAYDREAM! A NINJA PAYS ATTENTION TO THEIR SURROUNDINGS!"  
  
"I-I'm s-sorry, S-Sensei," Lenore apologized, her eyes welling up with tears. "I-I d-didn't m-mean t-to."  
  
Master Splinter turned on his other daughters then. "PACK! NOW!" He barked.  
  
The girls' eyes all went wide. They then all darted off for their rooms to pack their bags. They realized then that this was real. Really real. They were leaving their beloved home behind. And all because of Lenore.  
  
Master Splinter turned Lenore around, then whacked her with his cane. "You are to stay here, while the rest of us get our packs ready," he stated. "As punishment, you are not permitted to bring anything with you."  
  
Lenore's tears fell then. Oh, boy, did they ever fall. Everything she loved and cherished was in her room. From her Teddy Bear to her CDs, to her clothes, to her colouring books and crayons.  
  
Her other siblings came running out then, all with packs attacked to their backs. They looked as scared as she was upset.  
  
"Alright, line up," Master Splinter ordered. "Grab your partner, and stick together. Do not leave our line for any reason. Those who do shall be punished."  
  
Everyone nodded, then found their partner, and held hands as not to get lost. The guys walked at the very back in case any of the girls should fall behind.  
  
Danceingfae went with Arista and TygeroftheWynd with HexAdecimal. Raphiella with TMNTPunker while Ziptango and Daydream clung to one another. Machias and Splinter, of course, we also paired up. Lenore and Mily were to walk together at the head of the line, as Master Splinter didn't want Lenore to disappear on him, and cause them even more trouble.  
  
No one said a word as they walked along. All were too afraid to do or say anything that might upset their father even more.  
  
Lenore dared to slow down though, knowing it would probably get her in even more trouble. But she didn't care right then. She had to talk to Michaelangelo. She just had to.  
  
Mily saw Lenore starting to hold back some, and did the same, as not to lose her partner. "What are you doing?" She hissed. "You're gonna get us in trouble!"  
  
"Then stay behind Master Splinter!" Lenore whispered back. "I need to talk to Mikey!"  
  
Mily sighed. "Then I'll be in trouble for not sticking with my partner." She rolled her eyes, as she began to hang back with Lenore. Soon enough they were right in front of their brothers.  
  
"Lenore, what are you doing back here?" Leonardo asked in his big brotherly tone they all hated. "You're supposed to be up behind Master Splinter."  
  
"My feet hurt," she answered simply.  
  
"You're lucky that's all that really hurts right now," Raphael growled. "I'm surprised Master Splinter only hit yah once."  
  
(A.N.: From here on was written today, not yesterday. Lol. You'll understand the importance of this break at the end.)  
  
"Shut it, Raph," Michaelangelo piped up. "She didn't come back here to talk to you, or Leo."  
  
"Oh, and I suppose to she came back here to talk to you then?"  
  
"Actually, yeah, she did," Michaelangelo answered, casting Raphael an annoyed look.  
  
"Fine Mikey, but don't let Master Splinter catch you," Leonardo told him. "He's mad enough as it is already. We don't need him getting mad again right now, when we're trying to find a new home."  
  
"Whatever Leo," Michaelangelo said shaking his head and shoulders slightly. He grabbed Lenore's hand and pulled her back, as Donatello did the same to Mily. "What's up Munchkin?"  
  
Lenore looked up at him, here eyes watering, as her emotions took control of her once more. "T-Teddy," she whimpered.  
  
Michaelangelo understood immediately, and stopped so that he could crouch down before her. He pushed her bangs out of her eyes, and gave her a warm smile. "I'll go back and get him later, alright?"  
  
Donatello saw that Michaelangelo had stopped, and held Mily back as well. "Hold up," he said. "Mikey's being slow."  
  
"B-But." Mily tried, motioning ahead of them where everyone else was.  
  
"I know, Mil," Donatello sighed. "I'll carry yah when the two of them are down talking, okay? This way we'll catch up faster, and hopefully Leo and Raph won't have noticed we've fallen behind."  
  
"Okie," Mily shrugged. "But, I don't wanna be in trouble Donnie."  
  
Now it was his turn to crouch down. "You won't be," Donatello assured her. "I promise. I'll make sure Sensei knows I held yah back, and not anybody else, alright?"  
  
Mily nodded, then hugged him. She was happy to have Donatello hug her back, so she could momentarily feel safe.  
  
"Really?" Lenore asked, eyeing Michaelangelo through her lone tears. "Y- You'll do th-that for m-me?"  
  
"Sure will," Michaelangelo answered, still giving her the same old grin. "I'd do anything for you, Kiddo. You should know that by now."  
  
Lenore flew at him then, throwing her arms around his neck. "I love you Mikey!" She cried softly, as not to be heard by anyone else. "I love you so much."  
  
"I love you too, Lenni," Michaelangelo responded, standing and taking her with him. He shifted her slightly, so he wouldn't drop her, and kissed her head. "Now, c'mon. we gotta catch up before somebody notices we're not there."  
  
"Okie," she giggled slightly.  
  
Donatello looked down at Mily. "Up?"  
  
Mily nodded. "Yeah." She looked away kind of sheepishly.  
  
"Hey, no need to feel embarrassed," Donatello stated, as he picked her up. "Everyone else would've jumped at me for a free ride."  
  
Mily laughed. "Yeah," she agreed. "Especially Zip."  
  
"Daydream for Mikey," Lenore added. "Though I'd fight her for him."  
  
Michaelangelo and Donatello picked up their pace then, so that they could catch up to the others. As they neared the group, they signaled for the two in their arms to remain silent.  
  
Lenore and Mily stifled their giggles, and rested their heads on their brothers' shoulders. Shortly afterwards they'd both zonked out, and didn't wake up until they'd arrived at their destination. They still would've slept once there, but Michaelangelo and Donatello had softly shaken them awake, then set them back down on the ground. The four all held hands as Master Splinter explained things, namely his new rules, which were to be followed to a tee.  
  
Lenore smiled, as she knew then that she could always count on Michaelangelo to help her out, and if not him, then Donatello. Michelangelo understood her like no one else, and Donatello wasn't too far behind. She loved Leonardo and Raphael too, but Leonardo was too, shall we say, over- protective. And Raphael, well, Raphael was just way too hot-headed most of the time to show that he cared.  
  
Lenore reached over and grabbed Mily's hand. "Wanna share a room for now?" She whispered. "Zip and Day have already staked claim on one another."  
  
"Okie," Mily smiled. "We can share."  
  
Michaelangelo leaned down. "And I'll take the room across the hall." He winked at them, and they stifled their giggles, as he suddenly began to make faces at them.  
  
"Michaelangelo!" Master Splinter admonished, coming back to where they stood. "There is no need to be making faces at your sisters. Especially not Lenore, as she is the cause of all this."  
  
"Sensei, please stop blaming her, at least for today," Michaelangelo answered. "If yah can do that for me, I'll stop making faces for you."  
  
"Fine," Master Splinter rejoined, eyeing his youngest son warily. "But only for tonight."  
  
"Hai," Michaelangelo replied, then picked both girls up. "C'mon Kiddies, let's go find a room to call our own." He started to head for the rooms, but stopped next to Ziptango and Daydream. "Hey! Donnie!" He called. "We've loners standing here!"  
  
"Coming!" Donatello called back. He hurried over and scooped both Ziptango and Daydream up at once. "C'mon. We gotta beat Mikey to the rooms."  
  
"Cheater!" Michaelangelo, Mily, and Lenore all shouted, as Michaelangelo ran after him. "We'll win! We always win!"  
  
Donatello, Ziptango, and Daydream won. They all staked the rooms they wanted, making sure to remain close to one another. Eventually they'd all have their own rooms, but for now they just took the clean ones. The others would be clean soon enough. Just, not too soon, they hoped.  
  
A.N.: I worked long & hard on this chapter, so I hope y'all liked it. Here, see if this tells yah just how long & hard I worked on it:  
  
(Yesterday) Mom: "Stay off the computer for awhile." Me: "Why? Did my eyes go weird?" Mom: "You look like Shredder, does that tell you anything?" Me: "That's funny. I was writing about the turtles."  
  
Lol. And she didn't even know I was working on this before hand. As far as I know anyway. Don't remember if I'd told her or not. Hehe. *Grins* She said that when she kicked me off, so she could check her email. The Foot, were either just about to follow me, or had just reached the lair then. I don't really remember. I just remember that the Foot had entered the story. Lol. Plz R & R! Thanx! Adios! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	4. Telephone & Practice

A.N.: Just so yah no, the songs in the last chapter don't belong to me. "Backstreet's Back", obviously, belongs to the Backstreet Boys. "If I Had A Hammer" belongs to Trini Lopez, and "We're Off To See The World" belongs to Alvin & the Chipmunks. Also, from this point on was NOT in my dream! From this point on, everything written is PURE fiction, & NOT a part of my dream. Okie. Think I might've repeated myself slightly. Meh. *Shrugs* Enjoy!  
  
Disclaimer: Ah, man. Did I forget this again? Sorry I didn't post this before. I don't own the TMNT, or anybody else. The only people I own, are myself (Lenore), Ziptango, and of course, Daydream. Also, Zip & Day know I own them, I already explained to them why. It's basically, just 'cause. Lol.  
  
Back to the present:  
  
Lenore was lying in her room staring at her ceiling. Supper wouldn't be for another hour or so, and she'd nothing to do, as she wasn't allowed to leave her room. She had already thought about the day they'd had to leave their old home and had found their new one. She liked the new lair well enough, but still missed the old one terribly. They'd only been in the new one a month, the other they'd been in for fourteen years. Well, in her case, eight. But still, eight was forever, wasn't it? Well, whether it was forever or not, it sure felt like it to her.  
  
"Why's Sensei have to be so grumpy?" She pondered. "He used to be so nice. He HAS to know by now I'm sorry for leading the Foot to our old home. I never knew he could hold a grudge, like Raph." She sighed.  
  
There was a knock at her door then. She figured if she ignored it the person would go away, but the 'knocker' remained quite persistent.  
  
"Come in!" Lenore called finally.  
  
A green head with a light blue bandana poked in. "Want company?" Arista asked.  
  
"You're gonna get in trouble," Lenore answered. "Sensei don't want nobody talking to me."  
  
"So?" Arista shrugged. "I think you've been lonely too long, don't you? You need some cheering up."  
  
The owner of an orange neon, white, and yellow tie-dyed bandana peered in. "Did someone say they need cheering up?" Daydream queried, her eyes shining mischievously.  
  
Lenore laughed. "C'mon in Day."  
  
Daydream came in, followed by Ziptango, Mily, and TMNTPunker. Raphiella came in shortly afterwards, with TygeroftheWynd, HexAdecimal, Machias, and Splinter at her heels.  
  
"Okay, full house!" Lenore giggled. Her sisters laughed.  
  
A green head with an orange and white striped bandana appeared in the crack between the door and the wall then. "Why's everyone in here?" Danceingfae questioned. "And you do know I'll somehow get in trouble for this, right?"  
  
Her sisters all laughed at her, then motioned for her to come in and close the door. Danceingfae closed the door, then sat at the foot of Lenore's bed next to HexAdecimal.  
  
"Hey, who wants to play telephone?" Daydream asked. "We haven't played the in awhile."  
  
The girls all agreed, then sat around in the room in an odd shaped circle. Actually, it looked more like an egg than a circle, causing them all to giggle. They did Inky Pinky Ponkey to decide who'd go first, and it just so happened that Daydream wound up going first.  
  
Daydream thought a moment, before leaning over and whispering into Ziptango's ear. Ziptango smiled, then whispered the message to TMNTPunker. TMNTPunker then whispered to Danceingfae, who told Mily, who told Machias, who told Arista, who told Raphiella, who told Splinter, who told TygeroftheWynd, who told Lenore, who finally told HexAdecimal.  
  
HexAdecimal looked at Lenore oddly, before standing up to shout out the message she'd heard. "RAPH'S A MOO MOO NED WHO EATS POO!"  
  
Everyone cracked up then at the look on HexAdecimal's face.  
  
"Th-that's n-not wh-what I-I s-said!" Daydream chokes out. "I-I said-I said - Raph's a Poo-poo head who eats goo!"  
  
The girls all laughed hysterically, but stopped short when they heard a knock at the door.  
  
"Who is it?" Lenore called.  
  
"It's Mikey."  
  
"C'mon in!"  
  
Michaelangelo entered then, and grinned at them. "Why didn't y'all tell me you were having a party in here? I would've come over sooner." He took a seat between Lenore and TygeroftheWynd. "Raph's a moo moo head, eh?"  
  
They all smiled innocently. "Maybe."  
  
"I start!" HexAdecimal cried. She was glad when everyone agreed to let her start this time. She whispered to Lenore, who passed it to Michaelangelo, who told TygeroftheWynd. They went around the circle backwards.  
  
Finally, the message got to Daydream. Daydream stood up grinning. "DONNIE'S A BRAIN IN THE PAIN!"  
  
"It's-it's - Donnie's a pain in the brain!" HexAdecimal managed through laughter.  
  
Another knock at the door was heard.  
  
"Come in!" Lenore called.  
  
The door opened only to reveal Donatello, who was standing there trying to keep a straight face. "So, I'm a pain in the brain, am I?"  
  
"Yep," the girls replied.  
  
Donatello sat down next to Ziptango and Daydream. "Whose starting this round?" He queried.  
  
"ME!" Arista chirped. "I got one!"  
  
Arista told her message to Raphiella, who told Splinter, who told TygeroftheWynd, and so on. She giggled to herself wondering what the message would be by the time it reached Machias.  
  
Machias gave Arista a weird look, before shouting the message out. "LEO'S A BOOB!"  
  
Arista's jaw hit the floor. "Okay," she said eyeing everyone. "Who changed dude to boob?"  
  
Lenore giggled and raised her hand sheepishly. "I did. Sorry Arista, I couldn't resist."  
  
"He's not a boob," TMNTPunker stated. "Raph is."  
  
"Hmm. I've an idea," Mily thought.  
  
Another knock at the door was heard. The door opened and there stood Leonardo with his big brotherly look on his face. "You're the boob, Lenni. Not me."  
  
"Feel free to come in," Lenore answered. She watched him sit between TMNTPunker and Danceingfae. "Next."  
  
"I'll go," Mily said, a mischievous smile on her face. She leaned over and whispered to Danceingfae, who whispered to Leo, and again, so on.  
  
"Man! I'm the end again!" Machias groaned, but then delivered the message. "RAPH'S A MEAT-HEAD!"  
  
"It was Hot-head!" Mily exclaimed. "But, Meat-head's good too."  
  
Yet another knock on the door was heard. The door flew open, and there stood a scowling Raphael. "It's not nice to call your OLDER brother a Meat- head, Pink Freak."  
  
Mily stuck her tongue out at him. "You complaining, or playing?"  
  
"If you're playing, close the door," Lenore piped up. "Hopefully Sensei won't hear us then."  
  
Raphael rolled his eyes, closed the door, then plopped down next to Arista and Raphiella. "I'd appreciate it if yah made fun of someone else for a chance."  
  
"I'll go now," Lenore said. She whispered to HexAdecimal, who grinned at her.  
  
Michaelangelo laughed, then stood up. "MIKEY'S PACEY!"  
  
Lenore burst out laughing, falling over in the process. "I-I said - Mikey's crazy! N-not P-Pacey!"  
  
Michaelangelo shrugged, then started a telephone, that had just come to mind.  
  
Unknown to his children, Master Splinter had opened the door a crack and was watching them play telephone. "About time they all got along," he thought. "Though, they WERE told to leave Lenore alone until after supper." He saw Lenore stand up then, and waited to hear what she now had to shout out.  
  
"SENSEI'S A PEERED LEAN GOLD SMAT!"  
  
Michaelangelo chuckled, then translated, while everyone laughed. "It's s'pose to be - Sensei's a weird, mean, old rat!"  
  
Master Splinter entered the room then, not liking too much where it was going. He was not mean, just strict and over-protective. He watched as the children who were facing his way took notice of him, and quickly stopped laughing. The others seemed to clue in that he was there not to long afterwards.  
  
Lenore was still giggling long after everyone else had stopped. She paused when she saw everyone looking behind her, and gulped. "Um - hi, Sensei?" She said as she slowly turned to look at him.  
  
All of them had sheepish looks on their faces, as their father stared at them.  
  
"Dinner is ready," Master Splinter stated with no emotion. He moved aside and watched silently as they all filed out of Lenore's room. Lenore, being the last out, stopped to stand before him.  
  
"Sensei?"  
  
He looked down at her. "Yes, my child?"  
  
"Am I in trouble for letting them in?"  
  
Master Splinter smiled softly. "No, Lenore, you are not."  
  
Lenore smiled at him shyly. "Um - thanks?"  
  
"Run along and eat your dinner, Small One. It will disappear or go cold otherwise."  
  
Lenore nodded, then darted out of the room to go eat her dinner. She joined her siblings at the table, and squashed in between Ziptango and Daydream. She laughed as Leonardo and Raphael fought over a slice of pizza, and then grabbed a slice for herself.  
  
Master Splinter stood in the entrance way to the kitchen, smiling at his students, who all seemed truly happy for once, which was amazing in itself. Normally, there would be at least one unhappy child, but at that moment, they were all laughing and joking around. He knew then that this would be one off the very rare meals where nobody fought and upset someone else.  
  
After dinner, those assigned to kitchen duty cleaned up, then either joined the ones in the den, or the ones in the dojo. He always made sure he split them up into groups of two for evening practice, so that not everyone was fighting over the television.  
  
Michaelangelo, Lenore, Daydream, Ziptango, TygeroftheWynd, Leonardo, Mily, and Raphiella were group one. Group two was, Donatello, HexAdecimal, Danceingfae, Machias, Splinter, Raphael, TMNTPunker, and Arista. He'd stuck Michaelangelo and Leonardo with the eight-year-olds as most of then followed Michaelangelo everywhere, and Leonardo so that he could help tone down Michaelangelo's clowning. He had also made sure to separate Leonardo and Raphael as to cut down on the bickering. They may've been fourteen like they're brothers, but they should knew how to argue like mere children. He'd stuck Raphael and Donatello with the nine-year-olds. A) To keep Raphael and Leonardo apart, and B) most followed Raphael around. Donatello was basically just there because he wanted for two boys to always be with each group of girls.  
  
Michaelangelo, Lenore, Daydream, Ziptango, TygeroftheWynd, Leonardo, Mily, and Raphiella were all in the dojo when Master Splinter finally arrived. He arrived only to find some of the girls bickering.  
  
"I'm standing here!" Lenore stated. "I was here first!"  
  
"No! I was!" Daydream argued. "I'm standing next to Mikey!"  
  
"I was!" Mily and TygeroftheWynd exclaimed together, then looked at one another. "No you weren't! I was! Hey! Stop that! I said stop it!"  
  
Master Splinter stuck his fore fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. He watched as his students all grew quiet and turned to look at him. "That shall be quite enough bickering," he riposted. "Ziptango and Raphiella shall stand on either side of Michaelangelo." Proud that he'd solved that problem, he turned to get something.  
  
"I'm standing next to Leo!" Lenore exclaimed.  
  
"No! I am!" Daydream shouted.  
  
"Me!" TygeroftheWynd and Mily shrieked. "Hey! Quit it! I said quit it!"  
  
Master Splinter spun on his heel. "SILENCE!"  
  
The four grew silent, and looked up at him sheepishly.  
  
"You girls know better than to argue over something as silly as that."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts. Now, TygeroftheWynd shall stand next to Leo in the back. You three shall be in the front so that I can keep an eye on you."  
  
"Figures," Lenore grumbles.  
  
"He always watches us," Daydream adds.  
  
"Yeah," Mily finished.  
  
"There shall be silence during the rest of this practice session, unless a question is being asked."  
  
"Hai Sensei," the girls answered meekly.  
  
Everyone lined up in their spots and prepared to practice their ninjitsu. About halfway through the practice the girls were sent of to do their own thing while their brother practiced their lessons. Master Splinter walked around watching all of them, and noticed that one child was not doing their katas. He walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
Daydream had been, what else, daydreaming. She was fantasizing about their upcoming trip to the circus. She couldn't wait to go and have all the marshmallow-looking cotton candy she wanted. Okay, so maybe cotton candy didn't exactly look like a marshmallow, but it was still nice to dream. She was still staring off into space when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped and let out a yelp of surprise.  
  
Master Splinter merely chuckled to himself when his second youngest daughter jumped at his touch. "My child," he began, turning her around to face him. "Why are you not practicing like the others?"  
  
"Sorry Sensei," Daydream apologized. "I was - ah - thinking."  
  
"I did not name you Daydream for nothing, my little one. Now, do tell what you were daydreaming about."  
  
"The circus," Daydream admitted sheepishly. "And all the cotton candy."  
  
"Ah. Wise choice. That is soon, is it not?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"How about you think about that later, and focus on your training right now, alright? Once done here, you may dream about it as often as you like."  
  
"Yes, Master Splinter."  
  
Master Splinter merely smiled and patted her head. "The circus shall come soon enough."  
  
Daydream nodded, then went back to doing her katas.  
  
Master Splinter walked around some more, until he spotted another child having some problems. Only, she wasn't daydreaming, just becoming frustrated, like Raphael used to when he was a child.  
  
"Is there a problem, my child?" He asked, stopping near her.  
  
Lenore sighed. "No."  
  
"Then what is wrong?"  
  
"Nothing Sensei," she answered. "I'm fine."  
  
"Is the kata too hard?"  
  
Lenore knew better than to say yes, for she'd heard tales of getting longer and harder katas if you said yes. She told a white lie instead. "No, master Splinter. It's not too hard."  
  
Master Splinter nodded, knowing she was having problems, but let her be and advanced to the next student anyway. He knew her little lie was only hurting her, so he would let her learn from it. He also noted the bit of fear in her eyes when he'd asked if it was too hard. "I wonder what that was about," he wondered.  
  
Michaelangelo watched as Lenore grew more and more frustrated, before finally throwing her bo down in disgust.  
  
Lenore looked around hoping that no one had seen her little hissy fit. She spotted Michaelangelo and gave him a small, sheepish, grin. She quickly picked her bo up, sighed, and tried again.  
  
Michaelangelo had seen Lenore's shoulder's slump before starting up again. Only he knew how much she wanted any weapon other than the bo. She'd confided in him when he found her crying after the girls had been given their weapon of choice. Well, Master Splinter's choice. He hated being the one to tell her that she'd been given the bo, so she wouldn't hurt herself. Not that she ever hurt herself deliberately. She was just a klutz, that's all. He remembered how Master Splinter had let the girls try all the weapons before deciding which suited them best. Lenore had stabbed herself with a sai, and sliced her foot with a sword. She had also given herself a minor concussion after conking herself in the head with a pair of nunchucks. Though she HAD tripped over the bo, it was felt it was the least dangerous and less likely to harm her.  
  
Lenore let out a frustrated scream/growl. "Argh!" she threw her bo down yet again. She didn't see Michaelangelo making his way over to her.  
  
"Need some help?" Michaelangelo asked, giving her a warm smile.  
  
She looked up at him. "I can't do it Mikey! I can't!"  
  
"Lenni, there's no such word as can't."  
  
"Fine then, I can NOT do this stupid kata!"  
  
Michaelangelo shook his head at her. "It's not stupid. A pain, yeah, stupid, no."  
  
Lenore cast him an annoyed look. "Are yah gonna help me, or tease me?"  
  
Leonardo, who was talking to Master Splinter, heard her then and smiled slightly. "She wounds like Raph, eh Master?"  
  
Master Splinter nodded smiling. "I do believe she has some of his traits."  
  
"I came to help," Michaelangelo answered. "Now, get your bo, and I'll see what you're doing wrong."  
  
"Like you'd actually know," Lenore grumbled, grabbing her bo once more. "You do nunchuck katas, not bo ones."  
  
"Just trust me, alright?" Michaelangelo told her. He eyed her stance. "First off, move your hands further apart. No. A little farther. Ah. There you go."  
  
Lenore looked at him. "Now what? Want me to start?" She watched him nod, then began her kata. Her stopped her about halfway through and explained what she was doing wrong.  
  
Michaelangelo watched her kata, then caught what was wrong. After explaining it to her, he took her through it slowly, explaining each step.  
  
Leonardo looked on shocked. "H-How'd he know to do that?"  
  
"Michaelangelo is not as much of a slacker as you think," Master Splinter verified. "I have seen him watch me closely while I teach you and everyone else the katas you must know. He learns the katas, and fights, not because he wants to, but because he has to. He much rather take care of his little sisters and nag Raphael, than have to fight."  
  
Leonardo watched the two still. "He understands her Sensei, doesn't he?"  
  
"I believe he may be the only one who will ever fully understand her," Master Splinter replied. "He may also be the only one to ever understand Raphael and his moods. I, myself, have not yet figured him out, and fear I may have the same problem with her."  
  
The two of them stood there watching as Michaelangelo helped Lenore with her kata, then help TygeroftheWynd with hers.  
  
Meanwhile, out in the living room, everyone else was either fighting over the T.V. or playing Twister. Donatello, HexAdecimal, Danceingfae, and Machias were playing Twister, while Splinter, Raphael, TMNTPunker, and Arista were arguing over what they were going to watch.  
  
"I wanna watch Gundman's Wing!" Arista cried.  
  
"X-men!" Splinter shouted.  
  
"Fresh Prince of Bel-Air!" TMNTPunker yelled.  
  
"Care Bears!"  
  
Everyone one in the den stopped what they were doing and turned to stare at Raphael in shock.  
  
"What?" Raphael asked. "It's not like none of you have ever watched the show before."  
  
"Yeah. But, Raph, that's us, not you," Donatello said as HexAdecimal fell over. "You always complain when we put shows like that on."  
  
"Oof!" HexAdecimal exclaimed. "Not fair! Raph made me laugh!"  
  
"It is so fair!" Danceingfae argued. "I'm laughing and I didn't fall over!"  
  
"Well, that's you," HexAdecimal retorted.  
  
"Guys, can we just play, PLEASE?" Machias begged. "I don't wanna get in trouble again."  
  
"We're watching Care Bears," Raphael stated, grabbing the remote and putting them on. "And whoever says ANYTHING about me watching the show, will be stuffed under the couch pillows and sat on."  
  
"I'd like to see you try, Grumpy Bear!" Arista snapped.  
  
Raphael said nothing as he lifted her up, then stuffed her under the couch pillow and sat back down.  
  
"Yep, he's Grumpy all right," TMNTPunker laughed. Next thing she knew, she was being squashed under the couch pillows with Arista.  
  
Raphael eyed Splinter warily. "You gonna say anything?"  
  
"Nope. Not a word," Splinter answered, pretending to zip her lips shut. "Mmm?"  
  
"Yeah, I see," Raphael said, then pulled her into his lap. "Now, quiet Kid, or wind up sharing the same fate as them."  
  
Donatello shook his head. "Raph, just don't suffocate them or make them lose circulation in any part of their body for too long," he told his brother. "It could be damaging."  
  
"Shut-up Donnie!" Raphael snapped. "We're watching my show."  
  
Donatello rolled his eyes, then spun the spinner for Danceingfae and Machias, who were still in the game.  
  
A.N.: Well, hope y'all enjoyed this chapter. I said I'd make people nicer. Lol. It may be awhile before I post another chapter to any of my stories, as I've company coming up next weekend for Easter & my birthday is the 17th. *Grins* Whoo! Lol. Also, my Mom's home now, so it's clean! Clean! CLEAN! Grr! Lol. Plz R & R! Adios! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	5. The Circus

A.N.: Hey y'all! *Waves* I figured since today's my b-day, I'd give y'all a new chapter to celebrate. Lol. Hope y'all like it! Enjoy!  
  
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Day of the circus.  
  
Daydream come flying out of her and Ziptango's room, shrieking excitedly. "CIRCUS DAY! CIRCUS DAY! WHOOO!"  
  
"Shh! Quiet Day!" Leonardo hissed. "You'll wake Sensei!"  
  
"But, if he's asleep we can't leave yet," Daydream pointed out. "That's why I gotta wake him up."  
  
"Day, just listen to Leo for once, please," Donatello said. "If you make Master Splinter mad, he might not let you go. And I know you REALLY wanna go."  
  
"Can I wake everybody else up then?" Daydream asked.  
  
"You can wake Lenni up, alright? And Zip and Mily, no one else just yet," Michaelangelo told her. "Let 'em sleep for a few more minutes. Besides, I'm sure you'd like company when waking them up."  
  
Daydream grinned, then ran to wake up Ziptango, Mily, and Lenore. Once she'd woken them up, they all proceeded to wake up their other sisters. Soon enough all the girls were awake, fed, and running around the lair shouting and bouncing around excitedly.  
  
Master Splinter awoke to utter chaos. He had to try not to laugh as his sons chased after their sisters, scolding them and telling them to keep it down. He almost failed to hide his laughter when Michaelangelo finally gave up and joined his sisters in their craziness.  
  
"Mikey, you're NOT helping any," Leonardo stated. "If Sensei wakes up YOU can be the one to explain to him why they're running around screaming."  
  
"Fine," Michaelangelo grinned, then spotted Master Splinter watching them. "MORNING SENSEI!" He yelled over the noise. He waved, still grinning, as Lenore, Daydream, Mily, Danceingfae, and TygeroftheWynd all pounced on him.  
  
"MIKEY!" The girls screeched. "GOOOO!"  
  
Michaelangelo laughed and began to run around the lair with the five girls hanging off him. He smirked as Machias, Splinter, and Ziptango all tackled Donatello. He also saw HexAdecimal, and Raphiella quickly tackle Raphael. He chuckled as Arista and TMNTPunker shrugged, then jumped on an unsuspecting Leonardo.  
  
Master Splinter shook his head as a blur of coloured bandanas whizzed by him. "Kids," he muttered, before going to get a cup of tea. He figured he'd let them be, and maybe they'd wind down before having to leave for the circus. Little did he know just exactly how wound up his daughters were.  
  
"FASTER MIKEY! FASTER!" Lenore shrieked. "GO! BEAT LEO!"  
  
Leonardo grunted and ran faster with Arista and TMNTPunker hanging on as best they could. Leonardo knew he had it easier than Michaelangelo, as while Michaelangelo had five of their sisters hanging off him, he only had two. He crossed their make-believe finish line and turned to smirk at Michaelangelo and his sisters.  
  
"You chose the wrong brother girls," he informed them. "You took the slowest one."  
  
"Mikey's not slow!" The five girls yelled. "He CAN beat you! You cheat!"  
  
"And how did I cheat?" Leonardo asked, playing along. "Hmm?"  
  
"You only had Arista and Punker," Mily piped up. "Mikey had all of us. You should of piled on more people and made it even."  
  
"Couldn't three of you gotten off Mikey?" Leonardo countered.  
  
"NO!" They girls all yelped. "NEVER!"  
  
Leonardo couldn't help but laugh then. "I see. Why don't you guys race Donnie then? He's three of you with him."  
  
"One of you wanna go with Donnie, so we can make it even?" Michaelangelo questioned.  
  
The five girls hanging off Michaelangelo all looked at one another, before one finally spoke up.  
  
"I'll go with Donnie," Lenore said, sliding off Michaelangelo's shell. She quickly ran over and hopped on his back, so that she was next to Ziptango.  
  
"Ready?" Donatello queried. He waited for everyone to say yes before counting down. "Three, two, ONE!" He ran around the lair twice, then crossed the finish line while running backwards.  
  
"WE WIN!" Ziptango, Lenore, Machias, and Splinter giggled.  
  
"Aw! Nuts!" Danceingfae, Mily, Daydream, and TygeroftheWynd groaned. "Not fair! Leo was right!"  
  
Leonardo stood tall and proud, and smirked at all of them. "I told you Mikey was the slowest," he replicated. "But did you listen to me? Nooo."  
  
Raphael rolled his eyes. "Shaddup Leo! Mikey can win when he wants to."  
  
"Getting defensive now, are we Raph?" Leonardo said looking at him and raising an eyebrow. "Since when do you defend Mikey?"  
  
"Since you put him down for no good reason," Raphael retorted, swinging Raphiella and HexAdecimal around.  
  
"WEEEE!" Raphiella and HexAdecimal cried as they spun.  
  
"Leo, is it time to go to the circus yet? Is it?" TMNTPunker asked, tugging on his arm, as he had set her and Arista down. "I wanna go see the lions!"  
  
"And tigers!" TygeroftheWynd shouted.  
  
"And bears!" Ziptango added.  
  
"Oh my!" Lenore cried, then giggled.  
  
"Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my! Lions, and tigers, and bears, of my! Lions, and tigers, and bears, oh my!" The girls chanted, as they slid of their brothers and pretended to stalk one another around the den.  
  
"ROOOAR!!!" Lenore and Daydream screamed, chasing after their older sisters. "ROOOAR!!!"  
  
The other girls all shrieked and ran away from them. Soon enough, their brothers became the predators, and the girls the prey. "AHHHHH!!!" The girls all screeched, running around like crazy, and occasionally bumping into things or each other.  
  
Master Splinter came to stand in the doorway of the kitchen them. "Uh hmm!" He said loudly, clearing his throat. He watched as his children froze. Raphael froze with Lenore and Daydream over his shoulders, and Leonardo was tickling Danceingfae. Meanwhile, Michaelangelo was holding Machias upside down, while Donatello had both HexAdecimal and Mily in his arms. The other girls were hiding behind things in the den, or standing in the hallway leading to their bedrooms. "It is time," he said.  
  
The girls' eyes went wide and they all began to talk at once, immediately running back into the den or breaking free of their brothers. They all crowded together talking excitedly, forgetting they still had to make their groups.  
  
Master Splinter placed his fingers in his mouth and blew, letting a shrill whistle break through the ruckus. The girls all went quiet and turned to look at their father. "Thank-you," he replicated. "You must make your groups and hear the rules before you may leave."  
  
"I WANT MIKEY!" Lenore, Daydream, Mily, Danceingfae, and TygeroftheWynd yelped.  
  
Master Splinter sighed. "I think I shall make the groups, so that they are all fairly even."  
  
"Aww! Nuts!" The five girls complained, crossing their arms.  
  
"This is how it shall be," Master Splinter said. "I have made a list."  
  
Leonardo: Lenore, TMNTPunker, and Danceingfae Donatello: Ziptango, Machias, and TygeroftheWynd Raphael: Raphiella, HexAdecimal, Mily Michaelangelo: Daydream, Arista, and Splinter  
  
The ones wanting to be with Michaelangelo were NOT happy; well, none of them but Daydream were anyway. Daydream grinned proudly and stuck her tongue out at her sisters.  
  
Master Splinter caught Daydream sticking her tongue out and reprimanded her. "Daydream, there is no need to stick your tongue out at your sister. Do it again, and I shall place you with someone else other than Michaelangelo. Understood?"  
  
"Hai, Sensei," Daydream replied sheepishly.  
  
"Okay, my group will lead, then Mikey's, then Donnie's, and finally Raph's," Leonardo stated. "This way we hopefully won't lose anyone. Remember, stay close and DON'T wander away from you group. Should you lose your group, go with the one closest to you, and return to yours once you've found them again."  
  
"What if you don't find them?" Splinter wanted to know. "Then what Leo?"  
  
"Stay with the group you've joined," Leonardo answered. "We'll keep in constant contact when we split up, by using our Turtle Coms."  
  
Lenore tugged on his arm. "When will we get Turtle Coms Leo?"  
  
"When you're old enough to go off by yourself," Leonardo replied. "Now, pair up."  
  
Everyone paired up. They all held hands with their partner.  
  
"Leo? Can I hold your Turtle Com? Please?" Lenore begged looking up at him.  
  
"Lenni, you might lose it, then I won't have any way to communicate with the others."  
  
"Oh, PLEASE Leo! I promise I won't lose it! I swear!"  
  
Leonardo thought a moment, then sighed. "I'm going to regret this," he muttered to himself, before passing her his Turtle Com. "Here, and whatever you do, DON'T lose it."  
  
Lenore grinned up at him. "Thanks Leo!"  
  
The four brothers then escorted their little sisters to the circus and got in with the tickets they'd purchased through the Internet. They quickly found their seats, then Donatello and Michaelangelo's groups were sent to get the refreshments.  
  
"Don't eat all of that at once Daydream," Leonardo told his little sister.  
  
Daydream glared at him after taking a huge bite out of one of the two cotton candy sticks she had. She grinned smugly at him while she ate it.  
  
"I'm glad you're with Mikey, and not me," Leonardo muttered aloud. "If you were with me, you'd lose one of those 'till later."  
  
The order they sat in was: Leonardo, TMNTPunker, Danceingfae, Lenore, Daydream, Michaelangelo, Arista, Splinter, Machias, TygeroftheWynd, Donatello, Ziptango, Mily, HexAdecimal, Raphiella, and finally, Raphael.  
  
The brothers had made sure to stick four girls on either side of them, so if they needed anything, help wouldn't be too far away. Soon enough, much to the delight of the girls, the circus was to start in a few minutes, but first, they announced elephant rides.  
  
Lenore jumped up from her seat and ran to the end of the aisle they had taken up. "Leo!" She cried excitedly. "Can we go ride the elephants? Can we? Can we? PLEASE???"  
  
Leonardo groaned. "Lenni, we don't even know if they cost money. If they do, we haven't enough for everyone to ride."  
  
"But Leo!" Lenore protested. "Please??? I've ALWAYS wanted to ride an elephant!"  
  
"No," Leonardo stated. "Now, go back to your seat."  
  
"But I wanna ride the elephant!"  
  
"Lenore," Leonardo said in a warning tone. "Sit down and STOP causing a scene!"  
  
Lenore glared at Leonardo hurt. "I hate you!" She hissed, before going back to her seat. She sat there with her arms crossed, and pouted, her eyes welling up with tears. She'd REALLY wanted to ride an elephant.  
  
Michaelangelo happened to look over Lenore's way, and was surprised to see her pouting. He reached past Daydream, and gently pulled her up and over into his lap. "What's wrong, Kiddo?" He asked. "Why you so down? You should be happy. You're at the circus."  
  
"Leo won't let me go ride the elephants!" Lenore complained. "He said it'd cost too much for everyone to go!"  
  
"Ah, I see," Michaelangelo acknowledged, nodding slightly. Luckily, Leonardo wasn't looking his way, so he knew his plan would work. "Hey, anybody have to go to the bathroom before it starts?" He asked, standing up.  
  
Lenore slid out of his lap as he stood up. "I do," she mumbled.  
  
"ME!" Daydream, Arista, Splinter, Danceingfae, Ziptango, and Raphiella piped up.  
  
"Okay ladies, let's go then," Michaelangelo said, starting to usher them out of the aisle.  
  
"Mikey, where are you going?" Leonardo demanded. "You can't take six!"  
  
"Leo, since they've all to pee, and I've to take my group anyway, yes I can take them all."  
  
"Take Donnie or Raph with you!" Leonardo insisted. "I don't want you taking six. You KNOW how some of them like to wander off." He eyed Daydream, Lenore, and Ziptango then.  
  
"I'll go," Raphael piped up, before his brothers could argue it any further. "I need to pee myself."  
  
"Fine, Raph's going with you," Leonardo said almost smugly.  
  
Michaelangelo got the girls out of the aisle, and stood next to Raphael. "Thanks," he whispered. "I dunno what Leo's problem is today."  
  
"I think he's just sore 'cause he got stuck with two of the ones who wanted to go with you," Raphael answered. "He wanted Arista and Punker 'cause they always follow him everywhere and don't question his authority like the others do."  
  
"What do you think of your group?"  
  
"Me? Hello! Mikey! I got Hex, and Elle," Raphael answered. "They're ALWAYS with me, just like Lenore's somehow ALWAYS with you. Daydream too."  
  
"And Zip with Donnie," Michaelangelo chuckled. "Yep, Sensei sure knows how to pick the groups."  
  
"Girls! Hold up!" Raphael called.  
  
The six girls froze where they were and waited for their brothers to catch up. Once they'd all gone to the bathroom, they headed back for the arena area. Along the way, they realized they weren't anywhere near their seats.  
  
"Mikey? Where we going?" Ziptango asked. "Our seats aren't here."  
  
"How many of you wanted to ride the elephants?" Michaelangelo queried.  
  
Seven hands shot up. Raphael laughed. "Lenni, you don't need to raise both your hands, we KNOW you wanna go on the elephants."  
  
Lenore gave him a sheepish grin, and slowly lowered her one arm. "Heh."  
  
"Well, AGAINST Leo's orders, we're going to the elephants to see whether or not it does cost too much for y'all to ride," Michaelangelo informed them smiling. "But NO being disappointed if he was right about us NOT being able to afford it." He eyed Lenore.  
  
"We won't Mikey," Lenore answered, smiling an innocent smile at him. "Never. Right guys?"  
  
"Right," the others quickly agreed.  
  
Michaelangelo and Raphael ushered the girls into the LONG line-up, and stood there awaiting their turn. Once they were at the head of the line, the guy stated that it'd cost five dollars each to ride the elephant. Michaelangelo felt horrible as they practically had to drag some of the girls out of the line then. Arista, Splinter, and Raphiella were okay with is, as they understood, but Lenore, Daydream, and Danceingfae (though the eldest), had to literally be dragged out of the line. Raphael carried Danceingfae and Daydream over his shoulders, while ushering the other three back out to where they'd be able to talk and not be shoved aside. Poor Michaelangelo had to carry Lenore, who was throwing a tantrum, out into the open area where the refreshments were being sold.  
  
"I WANNA RIDE THE ELEPHANTS!" Lenore screeched. "I WANNA RIDE DUMBO!"  
  
Michaelangelo set her down before him, and held onto her arms as he crouched down before her. "Lenore, calm down," he said. "I told you we'd check, and that you might not be able to ride one. You technically promised you wouldn't give us a hard time if you couldn't."  
  
Lenore struggled to break free of his hands, but failed to do so. She kept struggling as she continued to scream. "I WANNA RIDE DUMBO! I WANNA RIDE THE ELEPHANTS! LET ME RIDE THE ELEPHANT!"  
  
Michaelangelo looked up at Raphael, who just shrugged. "I'll be a few minutes Raph," he told his brother. "Take the others back, and if Leo asks, she was taking too long to pee, alright?"  
  
"I doubt if he'll believe that Mikey, but alright," Raphael replied. "You know if yah take too much longer he'll be out here looking for you two."  
  
"I should have her calm before it comes to that," Michaelangelo responded. "I hope."  
  
Raphael nodded, then, still holding Daydream and Danceingfae, led his little siblings back to their seats. He sat down only to be immediately questioned by Leonardo.  
  
"Where's Michaelangelo?" Leonardo demanded. "Why did you get stuck bringing back five of them? He's not letting her ride those elephants, is he? I already told her she couldn't."  
  
"She's still in the can, Leo," Raphael riposted. "Some do take longer than others, plus there WAS a line-up."  
  
"Alright," Leonardo said, sitting back down, though he didn't look too convinced.  
  
Meanwhile, Michaelangelo was still trying to get Lenore to calm down. He kept trying to talk reason with her, but she just wouldn't listen.  
  
"Lenore, quit it or we're going home," Michaelangelo stated finally. "I'm not about to stand here and listen to you scream on and on about riding elephants."  
  
"I WANNA ELEPHANT RIDE!" Lenore cried. "I WANNA RIDE MY ELEPHANT!"  
  
Michaelangelo finally lost patience, and shook her until her eyes almost rolled back in her head. "Stop it!" He ordered. "Lenore, I love you, and wish I could let you ride the elephants, but we CAN'T afford it. Now, PLEASE, QUIT screaming!"  
  
Lenore grew silent then, her tears still falling, shocked that he'd shaken her. He'd NEVER done that before. EVER. For Michaelangelo to shake ANYBODY you had to be driving him insane. She'd only ever seen him shake Danceingfae ONCE, and that had been because Danceingfae had disappeared on him and NOT come when called. But, then again, they HAD been five and four at the time.  
  
"S-Sorry," she choked out.  
  
Michaelangelo gave her an apologetic, sheepish grin, and pulled her into his arms for a hug. "It's alright Kiddo," he said softly. "But please, don't throw any more tantrums today, okay? Leo hears yah, and you'll be forced to go home and miss the circus."  
  
"Okay Mikey," Lenore whispered. She gave him a small smile, and took hold of his hand. "We're missing the circus by standing here."  
  
Shaking his head, Michaelangelo led her back to their seats, after drying her tears with his thumbs. He saw Leonardo give then a stern look as they sat down, but he threw his brother a lopsided grin to let him know all was well. No sooner had they sat down, than had the circus started.  
  
"Hey! Look!" Mily cried. "Pink Poodles!"  
  
"Look! Lions!" TMNTPunker shouted.  
  
"Tigers!" Machias squealed.  
  
"Bears!" HexAdecimal shrieked.  
  
"Oh, my!" The girls all yelled, giggling afterwards. As their brothers shook their heads.  
  
"Elephants!" Lenore screeched, bouncing in her seat. "Look! It's Dumbo!"  
  
They all watched as the Ring Master announced the acts. Daydream screamed and buried her head into Michaelangelo when the clowns came out.  
  
Michaelangelo sighed, and lifted her into his lap. "Shh. It's okay, Day," he whispered to her. "They won't hurt you." He kissed the top of her head and hugged her close.  
  
Meanwhile, Machias had crawled into Donatello's lap, while Mily had gone to Raphael, and Danceingfae Leonardo. The four brothers cuddled their little sisters who despised clowns with a STRONG passion.  
  
They all enjoyed the Lion Tamer with the lions; and the Tiger Lady with the tigers.  
  
"Wow! Look at the tigers!" TygeroftheWynd exclaimed. "Whish I could pet one!"  
  
Awhile later, Lenore stood up. "I gotta pee again, Mikey," she told her nearest brother. "Really bad too."  
  
Michaelangelo groaned. "Oh, alright. I'll take you. See if anyone else has to go first."  
  
It turned out that TMNTPunker, Ziptango, Splinter, and TygeroftheWynd all had to go too. Michaelangelo talked Leonardo into letting him go alone, and led his sisters to the bathroom once more. While he was waiting outside the ladies room, the girls were inside developing a plan.  
  
"Okay, so we're all agreed that we all wanna either ride or touch the animals, right?" Lenore checked.  
  
The other four nodded. "Yeppers."  
  
"Quick! State your plan for once we get down to the ring where Mikey took me earlier," Lenore said.  
  
"Find the Tiger Lady and the tigers!" TygeroftheWynd verified.  
  
"Pink Poodles!" Splinter chirped.  
  
"Bears!" Ziptango piped up.  
  
"Elephants for me and Lenni," TMNTPunker stated.  
  
"Alrighty then, all we gotta do is lose Mikey," Lenore reminded them. "How are we gonna do that? He watches us more than Leo does at times."  
  
"What if we asked for more cotton candy, then slip away while he's getting that?" Splinter suggested.  
  
"But that's taking advantage of his generosity," Lenore thought aloud.  
  
"We're already taking advantage of his generosity," TygeroftheWynd pointed out. "He OFFERED to bring us to the bathroom, while no one else did."  
  
"I dunno."  
  
"Lenni, how bad do you wanna ride an elephant?" Ziptango asked.  
  
"REALLY bad," Lenore replied.  
  
"Well, then?" TMNTPunker replicated. "Let's do this already."  
  
Lenore bit her bottom lip, starting to wish she hadn't thought of this plan to begin with. "Okay," she managed finally.  
  
The girls talked Michaelangelo into getting them more cotton candy, then, while he was getting it, they all scattered off in different directions. They could hear him calling after them, but kept on running. They met up by the entrance way to the elephant rides, then went in together.  
  
"That was easy," Splinter grinned.  
  
"Yeah, a little TOO easy," Ziptango put in, looking around to see if she could spot the bears.  
  
"It was fun!" TMNTPunker giggled.  
  
The girls then split up to find the animals of their choice.  
  
Meanwhile, poor Michaelangelo was trying not to have a heart attack. "Leo's gonna KILL me!" He thought, as he frantically searched for them. He searched until he walked into someone. "Oh, sorry," he muttered, then went to move around the person. He felt the person grab his arm and looked up slightly, only to find Leonardo staring back at him.  
  
"Where ARE they Mikey?" Leonardo wanted to know.  
  
"Um. Ah. Heh," Michaelangelo stuttered, and gave his brother a slight grin. "Hiding?"  
  
"WHAT?!?!" Leonardo shouted. "How the HECK did you lose them?"  
  
"They wanted more cotton candy, and since they hadn't had a whole bunch already, I went to get them some," Michaelangelo began. "One minute they were standing there waiting for their treats, and the next, they were running off."  
  
"Argh!" Leonardo grumbled. "I knew this would happen!" He looked at his little brother. "C'mon Mikey. We'd best find them, before something happens to them."  
  
"Where do you think they'd do?" Michaelangelo interrogated.  
  
"Where do YOU think Mikey?"  
  
Michaelangelo thinks a moment. "The elephants!" He exclaimed. "Argh! I told her NOT to go there!"  
  
"And WHEN does Lenore EVER listen?" Leonardo countered.  
  
"She listens Leo!" Michaelangelo snapped. "She's just probably in Raph mode again."  
  
They soon find Ziptango and Splinter, who were being escorted out of the animal area by security. The two girls look sheepish when they see Leonardo and Michaelangelo giving them the evil eye. They weren't used to seeing Michaelangelo with that look on his face.  
  
"Where are your sisters?" Leonardo inquired. "Hmm?"  
  
"The elephants," Ziptango answered quietly. "They wanted to ride 'em."  
  
They each grabbed one of the girls by their arms. "C'mon," Leo growled. "Once we find them, we're having a LONG talk with the four of you."  
  
Eventually they spotted Lenore and TMNTPunker. Both girls were on top of an elephant, riding around and giggling. They didn't see their brothers until they got off; they then tried to run again, but Leonardo gave Ziptango to Michaelangelo, and caught them.  
  
"Just WHERE do you think YOU'RE going?" He demanded. "Huh?"  
  
"Um. The bathroom?" Lenore suggested.  
  
"Nice try," Leonardo told her, picking them both up by the straps on their overalls. "But, somehow, I DON'T think so."  
  
The four girls remained silent, as their brothers escorted them back out to the refreshment area. Once there, they were set before the two, who'd their arms crossed, and not so pleasant looks on their faces.  
  
"WHY did you take off on Michaelangelo?" Leonardo questioned. "Did you NOT realize just how STUPID and DANGEROUS that was?!?!?"  
  
"It was Lenni's idea!" Splinter exclaimed. "She talked us into it! She did!"  
  
"Ziptango, truthfully, was it Lenore's idea?" Michaelangelo asked.  
  
Ziptango glanced at Lenore, then nodded ever so slowly. "Sorry," she mouthed to Lenore. "Had too."  
  
Leonardo looked at the two girls who'd gone on the elephant. "And just HOW did you manage to get the money for the elephant ride?"  
  
"Um. We stood REALLY close to two other kids, and I THINK they're parents paid for our ride," TMNTPunker answered, not looking at him, and shrugged. "I'm not really sure. All I know is that the dude lifted us up to ride."  
  
Just then, they heard a father shouting and the manager. "I was charged TWENTY bucks for a damn elephant ride, and I've ONLY 'TWO' kids!"  
  
Leonardo eyed the two elephant riders. "Come with me," he said. "You've some apologizing to do."  
  
The girls grumbled, but followed him all the same.  
  
"Excuse me, Sir?" Leonardo began, as they neared the angry father and confused manager. "I believe I know why you paid twenty dollars instead of ten."  
  
The man turned to look at him. "Who are you? Do you work here? How do you know why?"  
  
"My name is Leonardo, and these are my sisters, TMNTPunker, and Lenore. I don't work here, but I know why you paid more than necessary, because I just had a story explained to me."  
  
"Go on," the man nodded, eyeing him slightly.  
  
"It seems that my sisters were persistent in wanting to ride the elephants," Leonardo started. "You see, they took off on my other brother, and headed straight for the elephants. They then stood in line, really close to your children. Then, instead of being honest and accepting of the fact we didn't have enough money for rides, they let you pay for them to get on."  
  
The man looked at the two girls, who were standing there with their heads hung, then. "I see," he acknowledged.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry, Sir," Leonardo apologized. "If you'd like, I'll give you the ten dollars you paid for them. In fact, I insist."  
  
"Thank-you, young man," the man smiled. "I appreciate your honesty."  
  
"You're welcome," Leonardo replied handing the man the money. He then looked at the girls. "Uh hmm!"  
  
"Sorry," the TMNTPunker and Lenore chorused.  
  
Once everything had been settled there, Leonardo led them back over to where Michaelangelo was standing with the other two.  
  
"Since the four of you decided to take off, after numerous warnings not too," Leonardo began. "I see it only fair that you sit out here and miss the rest of the circus."  
  
"But!" The girls cried.  
  
"No buts!" Leonardo snapped. "Actually, Ziptango and Splinter may go back and watch the rest of it. They didn't do as wrong as the two of you did." He shot Lenore and TMNTPunker Looks.  
  
"I'll stay with them Leo," Michaelangelo piped up. "You go on back and enjoy the rest of it."  
  
"You sure Mikey?" Leonardo checked. "I know how bad you wanted to see those trapeze artists."  
  
"I'm sure Leo," Michaelangelo sighed. "I need to talk to you-know-who." He nodded his head towards Lenore.  
  
Lenore decided to throw another fit then. "I WANNA SEE THE CIRCUS!" She screamed suddenly. "I WANNA SEE THE TRAPEEZE PEOPLE!"  
  
"You should've thought of that before taking off then," Leonardo retorted. "C'mon zip, Splint."  
  
Ziptango and Splinter followed Leonardo, leaving TMNTPunker, Michaelangelo, and Lenore and her screams behind.  
  
"I WANNA GO WATCH 'EM MIKEY!" Lenore shrieked. "I WANNA WATCH 'EM NOW!"  
  
Michaelangelo took hold of her arms like he had before, and crouched down in front of her. "Lenore, stop it right now," he said sternly. "I'm not about to listen to you scream again."  
  
"I WANNA WATCH! I WANNA WATCH! I WANNA WATCH!"  
  
He lost his patience then and shook her like he had earlier. "Lenore QUIT screaming, like a spoiled toddler, who needs a good spanking!" He growled. "I'm NOT going to tell you again." He picked her up and set her in a chair, holding her there until she had finished screaming herself silly and needed to catch her breath. Tears were streaming down her face when he spoke again. "Do you have ANY idea just how bad you scared me earlier?" He asked, in a softer tone. "You've ANY idea just how worried I was about you guys?"  
  
Lenore hiccupped and shook her head, as TMNTPunker slouched in her chair. "N-No," she managed.  
  
"I was afraid someone had grabbed you, and that I'd NEVER see you again," Michaelangelo told her, and TMNTPunker. "That scared me MORE than ANYTHING ever has before. I love you guys and DON'T want for anything bad to happen to ANY of you. You're my little sisters, I'd be lost without you."  
  
"I-I'm s-sorry M-Mikey," Lenore sobbed. "S-sorry."  
  
Michaelangelo sighed and pulled her into a tight hug, then reached for TMNTPunker and hugged her too. "Shh. Don't cry. Just - DON'T 'EVER' do that again. Promise me you won't do that again."  
  
"Promise," they both whimpered, as TMNTPunker was now crying as well.  
  
He picked them up, then sat in the chair with them in his lap until the others came out to get them. He set them down and took hold of their hands, and noticed that Leonardo was holding onto Ziptango and Splinter as well. No matter what the groups had been, these four were NOT about to be let loose again that day. They'd already made the mistake of that once, and were NOT about to make the same mistake a second time.  
  
They reached the lair, and by then, Raphael and Donatello were both carrying to of the girls each, as it was late. The circus had ended later than expected, and they'd had to make a few pit stops on the way home, as well as stop off at the souvenir stand. The boys had let the four who'd taken off each pick out one souvenir, but told them they couldn't have them until they deserved them. That if they agreed to that, Master Splinter wouldn't have to know about the incident. Naturally, the girls, even the ones not involved, all quickly agreed, as they all knew the consequences of taking off all too well.  
  
Master Splinter smiled warmly at his children as they trooped into the lair. "Have a good time, my students?" He watched everyone nod, and a few of the girls rub at their eyes. "Alright. Do tell me in the morning, as I see it is time for you girls to go to bed."  
  
The girls groaned, but trudged down the hallway slowly, and entered their rooms to change into their pajamas. The boys escorted the girls they had to their rooms, then returned, only to find Daydream still in the den. She'd run over to Master Splinter to tell him about her afternoon/evening.  
  
"You should have seen ALL the cotton candy Master Splinter!" Daydream grinned widely. "I had two an' a half sticks of it!"  
  
"Did you now, my child?" Master Splinter replied patiently, pulling her into his lap. She might've been eight, but her and a few of the other girls still loved to be cuddled. "What else did you have?"  
  
"Mikey took us to see the elephants, but they cost too much so we couldn't ride them," she went on. "Lenore was upset, 'cause it's her dream to ride one. That, and to touch a killer whale, but she couldn't 'cause we didn't have the money." She paused a moment. "If I'd the money Sensei, I would've let her ride one. I really would've. But I didn't have enough. Wish I had've. Then I could've made her dream come true."  
  
Master Splinter nodded, then kissed her head. "Go to bed, my child," he told her softly. "You are tired now, and may tell me more in the morning once you have rested. It is nice of you to want to do that for your sister."  
  
Daydream smiled at him again, then slid out of his lap, gave a quick bow, and skipped down the hall to her room.  
  
"Did all go well, my sons?" Master Splinter queried.  
  
"Hai, Sensei," Donatello replied, as he didn't know about either 'Lenore' incident right then. "All went well. They had fun."  
  
"If you excuse us Sensei, we're going to go to bed as well," Leonardo stated. "Spending a day with them wears you out."  
  
Master Splinter chuckled. "Alright. Goodnight my sons. Pleasant dreams."  
  
The boys bowed, then went to their separate rooms to sleep until they were to be awoken for morning practice. Little did they know, that there'd be no morning practice, as Master Splinter decided to give them a break and let them rest.  
  
A.N.: Well, there y'all go. Hope y'all liked it. HAPPY EASTER!!!!! *Hugs everyone* Luvs y'all! Adios! Plz R & R! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	6. Where's Tyger? & More Tantrums?

A.N.: Hey again y'all! I just realized that I had TygeroftheWynd take off on Michaelangelo too, but forgot to get him and Leo to find her. SO sorry Tyger! To make up for my mistake, this next chapter will mainly be about you. Well, kinda. I'll do my best. Enjoy!  
  
Daydream: Thanx 4 offering (again-lol) to let me ride the elephants. I rode one once when I was small at a circus. The only thing I remember was that I was on its butt, in back of five other kids, my sister included. It was fun! LOTS of fun! Lol.  
  
Disclaimer: In case y'all have forgotten, I only own Ziptango, Daydream, & myself. Plus, the story idea is also mine. Lol.  
  
At the Big Top.  
  
TygeroftheWynd had finally found the tigers, and was happily petting one, when she heard the Ring Master talking to some of the people who worked there.  
  
"I thought the show would never end," the Ring Master said. "It felt like it would go on forever."  
  
"You didn't have to listen to some kid throw a tantrum," the Popcorn guy stated. "Twice. And yes, it was the same damn kid. Screaming 'bout elephants and trapeze people."  
  
"That sounds like Lenore," TygeroftheWynd thought. "Wait. Did he say OVER? The circus is OVER?"  
  
She felt scared then, as her brothers STILL hadn't found her. She had been assured by her sisters that they'd meet up at the tigers once done, so they could all go back to Michaelangelo together. Come to think of it, her sisters had never shown up.  
  
"Did Mikey catch them?" She wondered. "And if he did, why didn't they mention me being with the tigers? Or, are they looking for me right now?"  
  
She listened as more people came and told the Ring Master that they'd finished packing up. She knew then that they people were about to leave, and she'd be all alone. She also knew that she couldn't ask them for help, as they'd recognize her as a freak.  
  
Someone tripped over her then. "Hey, Kid," the guy began. "What the hell are you doing back here? And WHY are you touching the tigers?"  
  
"Um." TygeroftheWynd tried. "I-I. Heh."  
  
"GET OUTTA HERE!" He yelled. "GO FIND YOUR FOLKS!"  
  
TygeroftheWynd jumped up, causing her hood to fall off. She saw the guy's eyes go wide as his jaw hit the floor.  
  
"Mr. Screw-Eyes! We've a freak in here!" He shouted. "A turtle freak!"  
  
TygeroftheWynd grew scared and darted for the exit. She could hear the guy running after her, and more joining in on the chase.  
  
"HEY! FREAK! GET BACK HERE!"  
  
Meanwhile, Lenore was lying awake in her bed thinking about what had happened. She hadn't thought they'd get caught, and if they did, that they wouldn't have gotten in that much trouble. But, as usual, she'd been wrong. It dawned on her then, that five of them, not four, had taken off on Michaelangelo. "Tyger!" She whispered, as she sat straight up in her bed.  
  
"What?" Mily asked from her bed. "What about Tyger?"  
  
"Um. Nothing," Lenore lied, lying back down. "Guess I was dreaming. Sorry Mily. Go back to sleep." She closed her eyes, and hoped that they had indeed brought TygeroftheWynd back with them. If they hadn't, she knew that Master Splinter would find out about what had happened for sure. "Why didn't I tell Mikey earlier?" She thought. "I knew then. I should've told him." She stopped blaming herself a moment. "Wait. HE should've known. HE took us; HE knew there were five of us. Damn. It's HIS fault, but they'll blame ME." She rolled over. "I'm NOT telling him then, this way, he'll get blamed, and not me."  
  
TygeroftheWynd had finally managed to out-run and hide from the circus men. She vowed right then and there to NEVER ask to go to another circus, EVER. She also promised NEVER to take off on ANY of her brothers EVER again. She was gasping for air, trying to catch her breath, and doing her best to remain silent. She watched as the last couple of men ran by, and knew that she was safe where she was - for now. "Thank God I'm green," she thought.  
  
She decided to stay where she was, as she knew that if she wandered too far away from the spot where the circus had been, her brothers would never find her. She wished they'd hurry up and come back to get her. She was starting to become terrified of her surroundings, not knowing which shadows were good, and which bad.  
  
Back at the lair, the boys had waited until Master Splinter had gone to bed, before silently checking on their sisters. It was this check that made them realize they were missing a sibling. Actually, two siblings, to be exact.  
  
Donatello gently shook Danceingfae awake. "Psst! Dance!"  
  
Danceingfae woke up and turned to look at him. "What?" She asked rubbing her eyes sleepily. "It's not time to get up yet, is it?"  
  
"No," Donatello answered. "Dance, do you know where Tyger is?"  
  
"Huh?" Danceingfae grumbled. "I thought Mikey took her to the bathroom?"  
  
Donatello's eyes went slightly wide then. "Oh. Okay. Never mind Dance," he whispered, kissing her head. "Go back to sleep, Honey. I think I know where she is."  
  
Danceingfae let her head drop back down onto her pillow, and was out before Donatello had even left her side.  
  
"Guys, I think we left Tyger at the circus," Donatello signed to his brothers. "Dance said Mikey took her to the bathroom."  
  
Michaelangelo paled some. "I did?" He gulped worriedly.  
  
"Well, that explains why I kept getting eleven when I did a head count," Raphael signed furiously. "Who else we missing? Anybody?"  
  
Leonardo came out of Mily's room. "Lenore," he said VERY softly.  
  
The brothers all looked at one another confused, but knew they'd had to go get TygeroftheWynd before they could worry about Lenore. Besides, Lenore hated the dark with a passion, so there was NO way she had wandered far. Was there?  
  
Lenore stumbled about, her eyes wide in fear every time she heard a noise. "Next time, I'm waking Mikey," she said aloud nervously. "It's his fault anyway." She continued her journey, hoping she was going the right way.  
  
Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo were all heading straight for the area the circus had been in, talking fervently.  
  
"HOW could you forget Tyger, Mikey?" Raphael demanded. "She's one of your posse."  
  
"I said I didn't mean to, Raph!" Michaelangelo snapped slightly. "YOU try dealing with one of Lenore's tantrums, THEN come to me about forgetting someone accidentally."  
  
"Can it, you guys," Leonardo ordered. "You're bickering is NOT helping our situation any."  
  
Donatello spotted a familiar form then. "Hey, isn't that Lenore there?" He asked, a bit confused. "If so, what's she doing all the way out here? Alone, at that."  
  
They neared the form, and knew that it indeed was Lenore, when they heard her call for her sister.  
  
"Tyger!?!?" Lenore called. "Tyger! Where are you? Tyger?"  
  
Michaelangelo stepped forward and placed his hand on her shoulder. He heard her let out a shriek, then spoke before she freaked even more. "Lenore, it's me, Mikey."  
  
Lenore turned around and was relieved momentarily to find her brothers there, and not some crazed whacko. "Mikey!" She cried, automatically hugging him.  
  
He hugged her in return, though he was somewhat mad. He shoved her back some, and crouched down before her, her hands in his. "Lenore, what are you doing out here so late by yourself?"  
  
She looked at him slightly sheepish. "We forgot Tyger," she answered him softly. "I'm looking for Tyger."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us we'd forgotten her?"  
  
She shrugged. "Dunno. Wanted to find her myself, I guess."  
  
"You know better than to take off, more or less go up top without one of us with you," Leonardo stated then. "Especially after dark."  
  
"Sorry," Lenore mumbled, kicking the ground with her foot lightly. "Didn't wanna wake anybody up."  
  
"Kid, next time, wake us up," Raphael put in. "You could very easily get hurt if yah keep taking off on your own." He paused, but continued when he saw the weird looks his brothers were giving him. "Then Master Splinter will have OUR hides for it."  
  
She looked down at her feet. She heard Michaelangelo groan, then felt him pick her up.  
  
"C'mon," he said. "No sense in taking you back, when we're already this far, right?" He looked to his brothers for their opinions.  
  
"Right," Donatello quickly agreed. "It'll save time if we bring her with us, and just maybe, Tyger too."  
  
"Fine," Leonardo replied, then cast a glance at Lenore. "But don't think you're getting away with sneaking off, 'cause you're not. And DON'T you go asking Mikey to get you outta this either."  
  
Lenore muttered something rude as she buried her head into Michaelangelo.  
  
"Lenore, I heard that," Michaelangelo told her. "Be nice. He's right - for once."  
  
Leonardo gave Michaelangelo a Look. "Uh hmm. Mikey, I've ears too. Also, YOU forgot Tyger, NOT us."  
  
"Excuse me, she WASN'T even in MY group, Leo!" Michaelangelo shot-back.  
  
Donatello looked sheepish then as they walked on. "He's a point Leo," he said softly. "She was my responsibility."  
  
"It doesn't matter whose group she was in," Leonardo rejoined, then turned to his youngest brother. "YOU asked to be trusted with FIVE of them Mikey! NOT Donnie!"  
  
Lenore squirmed to be let down, and once Michaelangelo had set her down, she ran over to Raphael. For once, he wasn't one of the ones arguing. She hated hearing her brothers argue, and wished she had have told Michaelangelo before they'd left that she'd known that TygeroftheWynd had been missing.  
  
"Raph?" She whispered, looking up at him, after taking a hold of his hand. "You think Tyger's okay?"  
  
Raphael glanced down at his baby sister and sighed. "I dunno, Kid. I'm hoping she's alright, but honestly dunno." He squeezed her hand gently. "Don't worry 'bout it, kay?"  
  
Lenore nodded, but remained quiet, which was unusual for her, for the rest of the trip. She knew that her brothers knew that she was only silent when something was bothering her.  
  
They finally reached the area where the circus had been, only to find that the Big Top and everything else had been taken down and was long gone. The building that had held their seats and the main attractions was locked up too. The five of them searched, Raphael never letting go of Lenore's hand.  
  
TygeroftheWynd thought she heard people calling her name, and dared to peek out of her hiding spot. She'd never felt so relieved in her life to see her brothers. "MIKEY!" She shrieked, jumping up and running to him.  
  
Michaelangelo turned around when he heard TygeroftheWynd scream his name. He scooped her up into a tight hug once she'd reached him. "I'm so, so, SO sorry Tyger!" He apologized over and over. "I NEVER meant to forget you! I swear!"  
  
TygeroftheWynd sobbed into his shoulder. "I-I was so sc-scared M-Mikey," she told him. "S-Some man w-wanted to c-catch me and l-lock me u-up." She hiccupped a couple times then. "Th-they c-called m-me a-a f-freak."  
  
"Shh! It's all right Tyger. It's alright," Michaelangelo soothed, then kissed her head. "It's alright. I promise."  
  
Lenore ran over to them. "Tyger!" She exclaimed. "You're okay!"  
  
"You forgot me!" TygeroftheWynd accused. "You said we'd meet at the tigers! You never showed up!"  
  
"Sorry," Lenore shrugged. "Leo and Mikey found us, and Leo wouldn't let us go. Punker and I were heading for you, but Leo grabbed us and said we weren't allowed to do nothing no more."  
  
"Lenore, you NEVER once mentioned that you were going to meet Tyger," Michaelangelo reminded her. "If you had, Leo and I would've let you go get her."  
  
"You said you were heading for the bathroom, if I remember correctly," Leonardo added.  
  
"Well, you should've remembered she'd been with us!" Lenore rejoined. "Then she wouldn't have been forgotten! I was just waiting to see how long it took yah to remember her!"  
  
Michaelangelo set TygeroftheWynd down then, and advanced on Lenore, NOT looking happy. "You KNEW we'd left her there the WHOLE time?" He demanded.  
  
"N-No," Lenore stuttered, backing up some. "N-Not th-the wh-whole t-time."  
  
"Lenore," Michaelangelo said in a warning tone. "The truth. NOW."  
  
She looked sheepish then, and shifted slightly. "I knew," she replied. "I always knew."  
  
"WHY the heck didn't you tell us then?!?" Michaelangelo yelled. "You KNOW how much trouble we'd be in if Master Splinter found out? Heck. We'll be in deep trouble as it is, if he wakes up to find us gone!"  
  
Lenore went into Raphael mode then, and grew mad. "She wouldn't have gotten in trouble! She said she wanted to look at the tigers, and that we should do the plan, but when we went to do it, 'I' had to DRAG her away from you! SHE was making ME look bad!"  
  
"You make yourself look bad," Raphael muttered.  
  
"SHUT-UP RAPHAEL!" Lenore screamed, turning to face him. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!"  
  
"Quit screaming," Leonardo told her. "You'll wake people up, and then we'll have to run and hide, and it'll take us even longer to get home."  
  
"Yeah," Donatello agreed. "If we're too late, Sensei WILL be up, and cranky."  
  
"GOOD!" Lenore shrieked. "LET THEM WAKE UP! LET HIM BE MAD! I DON'T CARE!"  
  
"Obviously, you only care about yourself," Michaelangelo stated. He watched her turn on her heel to face him once more. "Do you NOT realize Tyger could've been captured and SERIOUSLY hurt? Do you NOT realize how STUPID you were in NOT telling us we'd left her here?"  
  
"DID YOU 'NOT' REALIZE HOW STUPID 'YOU' WERE, IN 'NOT' REMEMBERING YOU'D HAD 'FIVE' OF US?" Lenore countered loudly. "HMM, MIKEY?"  
  
Michaelangelo took hold of her arms once more, and shook her like he'd done at the circus. He then crouched before her, and gave her an angry look. "I thought I told you earlier to behave? Or, do you not care what I say anymore?"  
  
"I DON'T CARE!" She screeched, as TygeroftheWynd ran to hide behind Donatello.  
  
He shook her again, harder than he had before, then stood up to get his other sister. He looked at TygeroftheWynd, his face softening. "Come here, Kiddo," he said. "I'm not mad at you. It wasn't entirely your fault you got left here."  
  
TygeroftheWynd slowly made her way towards him, her eyes on Lenore the whole time. She could see the fury in her sister's eyes, and knew she was going to flip at any moment. She still couldn't believe that Michaelangelo had yelled at Lenore, instead of trying to calm her down. Obviously, she was mad about something AGAIN.  
  
Lenore snapped as she watched her sister get closer and closer to Michaelangelo. Whether he'd shaken her or not, she did NOT want to give him up for ANYBODY. She'd had him first that night, and was not about to lose him to her sister, like she'd lost him when they'd been forced to make groups. All he'd done that day was cause her pain. He KNEW she'd wanted SO bad to be in his group. He KNEW she wanted VERY badly to ride the elephants, yet hadn't let her. He KNEW she'd wanted to AT LEAST touch one, yet had still dragged her out of the line. He KNEW she HATED clowns, yet had ONLY cared about Daydream when they'd come out. He KNEW she'd wanted to see the rest of the circus. He KNEW she loved the trapeze artists best after the elephants. He KNEW she hated the dark, but cared MORE about TygeroftheWynd because SHE'D been left behind. He KNEW she DIDN'T want to see him hugging TygeroftheWynd right then, but was going to do so anyway.  
  
She attacked TygeroftheWynd then. Her poor sister had almost reached Michaelangelo, but was still a few steps short, when attacked. "STAY AWAY FROM HIM!" Lenore hollered, pounding her fists angrily on her sister's shell. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM! HE'S MINE! DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!"  
  
Raphael yanked Lenore up off TygeroftheWynd and placed his hand over her mouth to shut her up. "Quiet!" He hissed in her ear. "You're being a brat!"  
  
Lenore kept struggling with Raphael, mainly kicking as he had her arms pinned at her sides, while holding her a few feet off the ground. She got mad and finally bit his hand.  
  
"YEOW!" Raphael yelled, dropping her and shaking his hand. He watched as Lenore scampered to her feet, and went after TygeroftheWynd again. He ran after her. "GET BACK HERE!"  
  
"NO!" Lenore screeched, unable to get TygeroftheWynd, as Michaelangelo had picked her up. "I WANT MIKEY! I WANT! I WANT! I WANT!"  
  
"I think you wanna be spanked," Leonardo said, coming over and prying her off Michaelangelo. She'd attempted to climb him to get at her sister. "Now, either shush, or I'LL do Master Splinter's duty FOR him."  
  
She ignored the glares she was getting, and fell to the ground and began to kick and scream, throwing a monster of a tantrum. "I WANT MIKEY! I WANT HIM! I WANT HIM! I WANT HIM!"  
  
"Lenore, we're NOT gonna tell you again," Raphael growled. "Smarten up! Now!"  
  
"MIKEY'S MINE! MINE! MINE!" She screamed even louder than before. "MINE! I WANT 'MY' MIKEY!"  
  
Leonardo had had enough then, and knelt down on top of her, one leg on either side of her. While he used his legs and butt to hold her feet down, he used his hands to hold her arms down. He watched as she continued to struggle with him, all the while screaming and shaking her head from side to side. "Lenore, SHUT-UP!" He barked, practically right in her face. "NOW!"  
  
Lenore spit in his face as her response.  
  
He'd had enough then and flipped her over angrily. Once he'd flipped her over, he spanked her as hard as he could, and then rolled her back to her original position. "You do NOT spit at people NOR do you throw fits when you CAN'T have your way!"  
  
TygeroftheWynd watched wide-eyed as Leonardo held Lenore down after spanking her. Her sister wasn't screaming anymore, but was struggling and crying hard. Their brothers NEVER hit them. Not EVER. If they did, Master Splinter would get mad, and they'd (brothers) would get into LOTS and LOTS of trouble. This was all too much for her to take in right then. First, she'd been left at the circus. Secondly, she'd had crazed men chase her and call her a freak. Thirdly, Michaelangelo had shaken Lenore after they'd argued, and they NEVER argued. Then, Lenore had attacked her for going to Michaelangelo when called. After that, Lenore had bitten Raphael and come after her and Michaelangelo again. And finally, Leonardo had spanked Lenore after she'd spit in his face. He had actually hit her. TygeroftheWynd whimpered slightly, and buried her head into Michaelangelo.  
  
Lenore eventually stopped struggling with Leonardo, and just lay there crying softly. She couldn't believe that her brother had spanked her. But, at the same time, she was mad. Mad at Leonardo for spanking her, and mad at Michaelangelo for letting Leonardo spank her. Michaelangelo was supposed to protect her, not let people hurt her. She hiccupped, and watched as Leonardo stood up and left her lying there on her shell.  
  
During this whole tantrum thing, Donatello had remained silent and had not gotten involved. Somehow, HE sensed what NO one, NOT even Michaelangelo, did. He KNEW she was jealous - again. Ignoring the glares of his brothers, her went over and knelt down on one knee before her. "You okay?" He asked, letting her know he was concerned.  
  
Lenore shook her head no, then took his hand and let him help her up. She then collapsed into his arms and buried her head in his shoulder.  
  
Donatello sighed, and picked his littlest sister up. "Shh," he whispered softly, kissing her head and somehow managing to pull her closer. "There's no monsters, Sweetie. I swear." He rocked her from side to side slightly, then followed his brothers home.  
  
Master Splinter was waiting for them when they returned, and switched on the lights, startling his students. He saw Michaelangelo holding a sleeping TygeroftheWynd, and Donatello holding, a wide-awake Lenore, who looked as though she'd seen a ghost, and was sucking her thumb (even if she was too old to be doing so). Leonardo and Raphael just stood there like deer caught in headlights.  
  
He eyed them all warily. "Where have you been?" He demanded. "It is three o'clock in the morning and no need to be wandering outside of our home."  
  
Leonardo took it upon himself, as the leader, to protect his younger siblings, and stepped forward. "We went for a walk, Master Splinter," he explained, lying through his teeth to his beloved sensei. "Tyger and Lenni awoke with nightmares and came to us. We took them out to get some air, and to hopefully wear them out again."  
  
"Were you seen?"  
  
"No, Master Splinter," Leonardo replied, kneeling before his father. "We were not seen."  
  
"Very well," Master Splinter answered. "Put the little ones to bed, then go to bed as well."  
  
"Yes, Master Splinter," Leonardo responded quickly. He bowed, then stood up. "Good night Master Splinter."  
  
"Goodnight my sons," he nodded. He paused a moment. "And Leonardo - "  
  
Leonardo turned back around. "Yes, Sensei?"  
  
"Do not feel the need to lie to me to protect your siblings. If they have done wrong, then let them suffer the consequences, and not get away with what they have done," Master Splinter told him. He watched as his eldest child began to look slightly embarrassed. "I will let you all get away with whatever you have done this time, but shan't be so generous next time. Also, if you are to lie, do not be so suspicious, by glancing worried looks at your brothers."  
  
"Hai, Sensei," Leonardo said softly.  
  
"Goodnight Leonardo."  
  
"Goodnight Sensei."  
  
Master Splinter watched as the four took their sisters to their rooms to go back to bed. He knew something was up, when Donatello didn't come back out of Lenore and Mily's room. Plus, Michaelangelo had taken TygeroftheWynd into his room, instead of hers and Danceingfae's.  
  
Lenore looked up at Donatello after he'd lain her down in her bed and covered her up. "Thanks," she whispered after finally taking her thumb out of her mouth. She paused and looked down, before glancing up at him again. "I'm sorry Donnie."  
  
Donatello smiled softly at her and smoothed her hair back. "I know you are, Lenni," he said. "I know Mikey hasn't paid much attention to you today, unless he was yelling at you 'cause you were acting up." He chuckled slightly as she looked down again. "Sweetie, I know you were doing it to get his attention, but ended up getting the wrong type of attention. I'm sorry your plan backfired."  
  
"Me too," she said softly. "Master Splinter KNEW I wanted to be with Mikey. I'm ALWAYS with Mikey." Her eyes welled up with tears again. "I-I love Mikey, b-but now - now he h-hates me."  
  
"No. No. No," Donatello replied urgently, sitting on her bed and hugging her close. "He doesn't hate you, Lenni. He could NEVER hate you. Mikey's just mad 'cause you did a lot of stupid things today, and kept scaring him. He doesn't like to be scared like he was today, when he couldn't find you guys. He was also mad at himself, for not seeing through you, and knowing your plans." He rocked her slightly. "Shh."  
  
"Donnie?"  
  
"Yeah, Sweetie?"  
  
"Will you stay with me? Please?" Lenore begged. "I-I need you."  
  
Donatello looked at his sister's tear-stained face and felt himself soften. "Sure Sweetie, I'll stay. I'll stay as long as you need me to." He got her to slide over, than lay down next to her. he felt her snuggled into him, and held her close, as to ease all her fears and worries. "Things will be better in the morning. I promise." He kissed her head. "Night Lenni. Love you."  
  
"Night Donnie. Love you too," Lenore answered, before closing her eyes and going to sleep.  
  
While Donatello slept with Lenore, Michaelangelo had TygeroftheWynd wrapped up in his arms, to keep her close and safe from harm. He'd been terribly frightened at the thought of almost losing one of his little sisters, and vowed not to let ANY of them out of his sight EVER again. "Next time, I'll use a rope to tie them to me," he thought. "This way I won't lose anybody again." He kissed TygeroftheWynd on the head, then hummed to her softly, even thought she was already asleep, before falling asleep himself.  
  
A.N.: Well, there y'all go. Hope y'all liked it. Sorry no one but Tyger & I were really in it, but I felt bad for leaving Tyger at the circus. Lol. Oh, & in case y'all are wondering who shares a room with who, here's a list:  
  
Arista & TMNTPunker. Ziptango & Daydream. Lenore & Mily. Machias & Splinter. HexAdecimal & Raphiella. Danceingfae & TygeroftheWynd.  
  
Hope y'all like the arrangements. Lol. If not, ah, well. *Shrugs* Tough noogies! Hehehe! J/k. Plz R & R like always! Adios! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA!!!!! 


	7. Mikey & Lenni mad?

) A.N.: Hey again y'all! *Waves* Sorry it's been so damn long. I'd a MAJOR case of writer's block for EVERYTHING. Lol. Well, obviously, I've gotten past that block - for this story anyway. Well, here's the next chapter. And warning yah now, it's pretty long. Hehe. Enjoy@  
  
The next day.  
  
Lenore awoke only to find that Donatello had already gotten up and left her side. She groaned and rolled over to go back to sleep. She'd just started to doze back into dream land, when she felt someone shake her.  
  
"Time to get up Lenni," Mily informed her.  
  
Lenore groaned again, and stuffed her head under her pillow.  
  
Mily yanked the pillow off her sister's head. "Master Splinter says you gotta get up now. He wants to talk to us 'bout something."  
  
"I'm NOT getting up," Lenore answered. "I didn't sleep good."  
  
"Regardless of whether you slept good or not, I'd advise you to listen for once," Leonardo, who'd suddenly appeared in the doorway, snapped. "Now get up and get dressed."  
  
"Who died and made him boss?" Lenore muttered as he stalked off.  
  
"Lenni, Leo's always bossy when it comes to obeying Sensei," Mily reminded her. "You know that as well as anybody."  
  
Mily left the room then so that she wouldn't get in trouble for being late. She knew her youngest sister, Lenore, would take her sweet old time getting ready. They all knew she tended to act like Raphael when Leonardo got too bossy.  
  
Lenore rolled over and fell out of bed - literally - and looked about the room for her favourite outfit. She finally found her Backstreet Boys shirt and her baggy blue jean overalls. Both of which Michaelangelo had gotten her for her birthday a couple months earlier. She slowly put them on, then took her sweet old time going out into the den.  
  
"Finally!" Raphael grumbled once he'd spotted her. "Her Highness has decided to grace us with her presence."  
  
"Stuff it Raph," Lenore snapped.  
  
Master Splinter merely rolled his eyes and told his youngest to take a seat. He watched as she contemplated on where to sit and was highly surprised when she didn't sit next to Michaelangelo.  
  
Lenore plopped down next to Ziptango and nudged her. "What I miss?"  
  
"Nothing yet," Ziptango whispered. "Sensei hasn't started yet."  
  
"Oh," Lenore nodded. "Did he say why we're having a meeting?"  
  
"No. But he probably will if you two would shut your pie holes," Raphael cut in.  
  
"Raphael, there is no need to be rude," Master Splinter admonished him. "And girls, please do be quiet."  
  
Everyone settled then and awaited Master Splinter's words of wisdom, as they knew it had to be of great importance if they were having a family meeting.  
  
"It has come to my attention," Master Splinter began, then paused momentarily. "That some of you are not doing as told. I've been informed by reliable sources that certain individuals of our clan have been misbehaving and have been disrespectful towards their elders. You all know what I think of disrespect and misbehaviour, so I shall not go into that very long speech. Instead, I shall inform ALL of you, that I will not tolerate these shenanigans any longer. Anyone caught being disrespectful or misbehaving in any way shall be punished accordingly. And, as always, the other rules of this household apply and shall be enforced even more so than before. I've noticed that all of you have been slacking off, not only in your chores, but your ninjitsu as well. You must not slack off, as then you are not only wasting my time, but yours as well. We must stick together and obey the rules if we want for things to run smoothly. Also, I've a new rule for you girls. NONE of you are allowed up top for ANYTHING."  
  
"But what if we go with Donnie?" Lenore piped up, interrupting their sensei.  
  
Master Splinter gave her a stern look. "NOT even then are you allowed to go. I was informed earlier this morning, as to just what went on last night while most of you slept. Needless to say, I am NOT pleased. Those who were involved know better and should not have done what they did. I am disappointed in those individuals, you know who you are."  
  
He paused again, and watched as some of the girls became restless.  
  
"But, seeing as not all of you were involved, I shall do as I planned last night before the incident."  
  
Everyone waited in anticipation, as he stopped again, leaving them hanging.  
  
"There shall be no practice this morning, or this afternoon."  
  
"YES! YAY! WHOOO! YIPPEE!"  
  
He waited for them to calm down and stop cheering before continuing.  
  
"You are all free to do as you please, as long as your chores are done promptly and correctly. You are dismissed."  
  
Half of the turtle family headed for the kitchen to have breakfast, while the other half dove for the television. Once breakfast and their two early morning cartoons were over with, all set about their chores, minus one.  
  
Daydream sat glued to the television, despite the fact they were only allowed to watch two shows before getting their chores done. She was watching Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers and wasn't anywhere near to budging off the couch. She was so engrossed in her cartoon that she didn't even know the others had left until she felt someone tap her shoulder.  
  
Master Splinter had checked on everyone else, and had made sure that their chores were being done properly. He'd re-entered the den, only to find Daydream still rooted to her spot on the couch totally absorbed in Chip 'n' Dale. He went over to where she sat and tapped her on the shoulder lightly. He watched as she jumped slightly, then looked to see who had tapped her.  
  
"My child, I do believe that you are to be doing your chores now, not watching television," he told her softly as she looked at him sheepishly.  
  
Daydream blushed slightly. "Sorry Master Splinter," she apologized. "Guess I got hooked again."  
  
"Run along and do your chores, little one."  
  
"Sensei," she began quietly. "May I watch the end of it first? Please?"  
  
"Is it almost done?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
Master Splinter thought a moment. "Then you may watch it."  
  
"Thank-you!" Daydream exclaimed smiling up at him.  
  
He patted her head. "You're welcome, my child."  
  
While Daydream went back to her cartoon, Master Splinter took a seat in his favourite chair. He knew it wouldn't be long before someone else noticed Daydream watching television and complained.  
  
Danceingfae had been doing her chores, when she spotted Daydream watching T.V. She went over and sat next to her little sister.  
  
"How come you're watching T.V.?" Danceingfae asked. "You couldn't have finished your chores THAT fast."  
  
Daydream kept her eyes glued to the television set. "Sensei said I could watch the end."  
  
"What!?!?!" Danceingfae exclaimed, then turned to look at Master Splinter. "Sensei! That's not fair!"  
  
"Do not get excited Danceingfae," Master Splinter said calmly. "She shall do her chores promptly once it is done."  
  
"That's still NOT fair," Danceingfae argued. "Why should she get away with it when no one else can? If she can watch cartoons, we should be able to too!"  
  
"I believe everyone has their days of forgetfulness," Master Splinter started. "There will be days when you too forget to do your chores first. When that happens I shall be as lenient with you as I am with Daydream."  
  
"No you won't!" Danceingfae stated somewhat rude. "You'll get all mad at me 'cause I'm the oldest and know better and all that stupid stuff!"  
  
"My child, I shan't be mad then, but am starting to lose patience with you now," he warned. "I do not like the tone you are using when speaking to me."  
  
"You NEVER like ANY tone other than Leo's! And you only like his 'cause he's the perfect one outta all of us! You're a prejudice old fool!"  
  
Young turtles, who heard the commotion, had stopped to watch, and felt their jaws hit the floor when Danceingfae had called their beloved sensei a prejudice old fool.  
  
Master Splinter eyed the young turtle before him warily. He took note of her angry scowl on her face and thought carefully before speaking.  
  
"Since I am a prejudice old fool, I believe you shall now do Daydream's chores as well as your own," he informed her. "Then you shall go to the dojo and sit there on a mat quietly and aren't to move an inch until I have told you otherwise. Understood?"  
  
Danceingfae glared at him and spat her answer out. "Hai."  
  
They all watched as she stormed back into the kitchen to finish up her own duties there, before starting in on Daydream's. then the turtles who'd stopped to watch, quickly went about their business before they got reprimanded for watching the commotion.  
  
"Daydream."  
  
"Yes Sensei?"  
  
"You may do as you please for the rest of the day, starting now, seeing as you have no chores to do today."  
  
She grinned at him happily. "Thanks Master Splinter!"  
  
After awhile everyone else had finished their daily chores as were free to do as they liked, as long as it was within reason. They all knew what they could do, and what they weren't allowed to do. They all headed off in separation directions, or in most cases, the same direction.  
  
Leonardo, of course, headed straight for the dojo, much to the annoyment of Danceingfae. Michaelangelo obviously headed for the kitchen to bake; Donatello retreated to his lab. Raphael went to go work on his motorcycle; Daydream stayed rooted where she was watching cartoons and was soon joined by Ziptango, Mily, and Lenore. Arista and TMNTPunker snuck into the dojo to watch Leonardo practice; Machias and Splinter followed Donatello into his lab. Raphiella went to her and HexAdecimal's room to read, while HexAdecimal went to hunt down her discman in Arista and TMNTPunker's room. TygeroftheWynd sat on the floor behind the couch to play Solitaire with her Looney Tunes playing cards. Master Splinter remained seated in his chair drinking his cup of tea.  
  
All was fine until TygeroftheWynd decided to inform her sisters on the couch as to just what incident Master Splinter had been referring to earlier that morning. She'd made sure to wait until Master Splinter had left the room.  
  
"Psst! Zip!" TygeroftheWynd hissed. "Zip!"  
  
Ziptango turned around and peered over the back of the couch. "What?"  
  
"Come here! I've something I wanna tell you!"  
  
Ziptango shrugged, got up, and went to sit behind the couch with her sister.  
  
"What?" She asked again.  
  
"Wait. I gotta get Day and Mil first."  
  
"Psst! Day! Mil!"  
  
The two who'd been called turned to look over the couch. "What?"  
  
"I gotta secret!"  
  
The two quickly scampered off the couch upon hearing those words. They joined their sisters on the floor.  
  
"What's so important that we're missing the end of Duck Tales?" Mily wanted to know.  
  
"I know what happened last night," TygeroftheWynd smirked.  
  
"What? Seriously?" Mily exclaimed softly.  
  
"No way! How do you know?" Daydream said.  
  
"I know 'cause I was there," TygeroftheWynd answered. "Mikey and them came looking for me last night."  
  
"Why? Where were you?" Ziptango queried.  
  
"I was left at the circus," she stated. "You guys forgot me and they came back to get me. Lenni was looking for me too. Only thing was, she wasn't s'pose to be outta the lair."  
  
"Lenni was looking for you?" Mily checked. "But she HATES the dark. That's why we've a nightlight in our room."  
  
"Me too," Daydream piped up. "I got one too."  
  
"Well, she was," she told them, then went on. "I got spotted and called a Freak. It's not fun being chased by men with pitchforks and shovels and stuff. I hid finally and stayed in my hiding spot 'till I heard Mikey calling me. Everything got kinda confusing after that."  
  
"How'd it get confusing?" Ziptango questioned.  
  
"Lenni got mad."  
  
"So? She was mad at the circus too," Mily pointed out.  
  
"She attacked me 'cause Mikey called me over and not her. She got mad at Mikey."  
  
The other three girls gasped, as Lenore NEVER got mad at Michaelangelo.  
  
"Seriously?"  
  
TygeroftheWynd nodded. "Yep. She threw a fit and screamed and stuff. Raph covered her mouth to make her stop and she bit him."  
  
Again the three girls listening gasped. "Is she nuts?"  
  
"Guess so," TygeroftheWynd shrugged. "But that's not the confusing, freaky stuff. The freaky stuff is while she was throwing her tantrum Leo sat on her. Okay, he's sat on us before when one of us threw a fit, but this time was different."  
  
"How was it different?" Daydream asked.  
  
"Day, quit interrupting and I'll tell you."  
  
"Sorry," Daydream apologized.  
  
"Anyway, he told her to stop and stuff and she SPIT at him."  
  
Gasping was heard once more.  
  
"And then Leo flipped her over and SPANKED her!" TygeroftheWynd finished.  
  
Jaws hit the floor at TygeroftheWynd's last statement. The three girls couldn't believe that Leonardo had spanked their littlest sister. The boys NEVER spanked them, as they'd get in trouble for it themselves, as they weren't to harm the girls. Ever.  
  
"No way! You're joking, right?" Ziptango managed finally.  
  
TygeroftheWynd shook her head. "Nope. I'm serious guys. He spanked her."  
  
"And Mikey didn't do anything?" Mily interrogated.  
  
"No. He was mad at her too and had shook her long before she bit Raph."  
  
"Mikey mad at Lenni? Lenni mad at Mikey? Okay, this is just - weird," Daydream commented. "They're NEVER mad at each other."  
  
Lenore, who was still sitting on the couch watching cartoons, turned and peered over at her sisters once she'd heard Daydream say her name.  
  
"Whatcha guys talking 'bout?" She asked. "I thought we were watching cartoons."  
  
"Tyger was telling us what ha - "Daydream began, only to have Mily clamp her hand over her mouth.  
  
Lenore looked at them confused. "Telling them what Tyger?"  
  
"Telling us about what she dreamt last night," Ziptango covered for her sister.  
  
"Then why didn't you call me and tell me too?" Lenore wanted to know. "I was here watching T.V. with 'em."  
  
TygeroftheWynd gave a sheepish grin. "I didn't think of it. Sorry Lenni."  
  
Mily removed her hand from Daydream's mouth, only to have Daydream blow their cover right then and there.  
  
"How come you're mad at Mikey?"  
  
"Who said I was mad at Mikey?" Lenore asked, eyeing TygeroftheWynd.  
  
"Tyger did. She said you guys got mad at each other last night."  
  
"You told 'em?" Lenore exclaimed slightly. "Tyger! They said not to tell anybody!"  
  
"Well, obviously, someone told Master Splinter," TygeroftheWynd retorted.  
  
"But Master Splinter's different! He's a right to know what happened!"  
  
"What? And we don't?" Mily challenged.  
  
"No!" Lenore cried. "You don't! It was between us! And I didn't want anybody knowing!"  
  
"So what? Leo spanked you. Big deal," TygeroftheWynd said giving a small shrug.  
  
"Leo spanked Lenni?" Machias asked, as her and Splinter came out of Donatello's lab. "Seriously?"  
  
The girls, minus Lenore, nodded.  
  
"Hey! Splinter! Leo spanked Lenni!" Machias called out.  
  
"When?" Splinter asked joining them.  
  
"Last night," TygeroftheWynd told them. "Mikey shook her again too."  
  
"Whoa. Dude," Splinter replicated.  
  
"Tyger! Quit it!" Lenore begged with a slight whine. "I don't want everybody knowing I got spanked."  
  
"Spanked? When? By who?" HexAdecimal queried coming out with her discman. She was now on a search for batteries. "What are you guys talking about?"  
  
"Leo spanked Lenni last night," TygeroftheWynd explained. "She doesn't want everybody knowing. But it ain't a big deal really."  
  
"It IS a big deal!" Lenore said, obviously starting to get upset. "I don't like it when everybody's mad at me."  
  
"Then you shouldn't act up all the time," Machias retorted. "They only get mad at you 'cause you're always bad."  
  
"I'm NOT always bad Machias! And you guys get in trouble too!"  
  
"Whatever you say Lenni," Splinter shrugged.  
  
Lenore hopped down off the couch then and darted out of the lair.  
  
"See?" Machias said. "She just left knowing she'll get in trouble for it later."  
  
Daydream, Mily, and Ziptango all gave one another worried looks. They knew they'd helped to upset their sister and felt bad for it, as they were usually the "Four Musketeers".  
  
While her older sisters went back to what they'd originally been doing, Lenore was high-tailing it down the sewer tunnel. Without realizing it, she'd run past Raphael, who was still working on his motorbike.  
  
"What the - ?" Raphael trailed off as he saw her run by. "Now where the hell is she going?"  
  
He left his bike then and went after her, knowing that she could easily get spotted by the Foot again, as she was too reckless sometimes.  
  
"Lenni!" He called. "Lenni! Quit running! Lenni!"  
  
Lenore heard Raphael calling her and ran faster, as she hated for people to see her cry. She was also afraid that he was mad and going to yell at her again. She yelped slightly as she felt someone grab her and yank her into the shadows. Lucky for her, it was only Raphael, who had finally caught up to her.  
  
Raphael had heard voices coming from up ahead, and stepped on it to reach his baby sister. Once he'd caught her he'd yanked her into the shadows and placed his hand over her mouth. He signaled for her to keep quiet, and kept his hand firmly where it was. He knew if he didn't she'd be apt to scream if she saw the Foot.  
  
The two of them remained hidden in the shadows, and both tensed, as the voices got closer. One tensed in fear, the other in apprehension. At last they saw seven Foot members go by. Apparently they were new members of the clan, as they weren't being as quiet as they should've been.  
  
"Master Shredder said those turtles freaks should be down here somewhere," one Foot member said. "We must find them immediately and give the co-ordinants of their whereabouts to him a.s.a.p. We need to rid ourselves of these pesky freaks, if we're to take over New York City, and the rest of the state."  
  
"You really think they're down here?" Another member questioned. "I mean we could be on a fruitless search for all we know."  
  
"Would you rather disobey Master Shredder and suffer the consequences?" A third one piped up. "Besides, it's not so bad down here. Despite the sewer rats and snakes we've seen."  
  
"And the smell," the fourth one added. "The smell is definitely the worst part."  
  
The other three nodded and remained silent, as they knew they should be quiet if they wanted to locate the turtles.  
  
Raphael waited until he was one hundred and ten percent sure that the Foot members were gone, before picking Lenore up and cautiously heading back home to the lair. Once there, he went back to his motorbike, and didn't set her down until he'd reached it. He wanted some answers before he let her go back inside.  
  
"Just what the hell do you think you're doing running around outside the lair?" He demanded. "You, of all people, know just how STUPID and DANGEROUS that is. Yeesh! If I hadn't have spotted you, you could've VERY easily been snatched by those Foot members we saw!"  
  
Lenore sniffled and rubbed her eyes as more tears began to fall. She hadn't meant to run so far. She'd just wanted to get away from everyone and hide somewhere so she could cry freely for once.  
  
"Well? I'm waiting."  
  
"Sorry," she mumbled softly. "I-I didn't mean to run so far."  
  
"Why were you even outside of the lair in the first place?"  
  
"T-Tyger told everyone 'bout last night," she whimpered. "I-I didn't want nobody to know. Now everybody does - well, six of 'em do anyway."  
  
"Is that why you were out here? 'Cause Tyger was telling, though she's not supposed to?"  
  
Lenore nodded. "Yes."  
  
"So what? It's not like you haven't been spanked or shook before."  
  
She looked at him, hurt evident in her eyes. "Am I always bad, Raph?"  
  
He looked at her strangely. "No. Why?"  
  
"I'm not?"  
  
"No," he repeated, then went on. "Okay, sure sometimes you get in more trouble than everyone else, but that's 'cause you're so damn carefree and fun-loving. You just wanna have fun, but usually wind up in trouble while doing so. It's not always your fault. As your brothers, we're supposed to keep a better eye on you. Though, we are NOT your keepers."  
  
Lenore impulsively hugged him, as lone tears still fell. "Thanks."  
  
"For what?" He asked, as he silently debated whether or not to hug her back. "I didn't do nothing but nab yah before the Foot could."  
  
She looked up at him. "You said I ain't always bad. Everybody else thinks so."  
  
"Who is everybody?"  
  
"Machias, Splinter, and Tyger," she answered. "And I'm starting to think Ziptango, Mily, and Daydream too 'cause they didn't do nothing to defend me."  
  
"Maybe they didn't defend you 'cause it wasn't their fight."  
  
"It still would've been nice."  
  
He sighed and finally decided to hug her back. "Kid, don't listen to what Machias, Splinter, and Tyger say. They're as much of trouble-makers as you are and shouldn't be making you feel bad." He tilted her head up by sticking his forefinger under her chin. "Lenni, you just go on being you and having fun. Don't change for nobody, alright?"  
  
"Alright," she responded giving him a small smile.  
  
He wiped her tears away with her thumbs, and ruffled her hair. "Now, I'd advise you to get back in the lair before Sensei finds out you left again."  
  
She nodded and started to run back, but stopped halfway and turned to look back at him.  
  
"Raph?"  
  
"Yeah, Kid?"  
  
"I'm sorry 'bout last night."  
  
"Just forget 'bout it, okay?"  
  
"Okay." She paused. "And Raph."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I love you."  
  
He couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, I love you too. Now scat, Rug-rat."  
  
She grinned cheesily at him, then hurried back into the lair. No sooner had she entered than did Arista and TMNTPunker corner her.  
  
"So, what's it liked to be spanked by Leo?" They asked.  
  
Lenore sighed dejectedly and felt her shoulders sag. "It's no fun, alright? Now, do me a favour and pass that message along, will yah?"  
  
"Where were you just now?" Arista queried, changing the subject. "Sensei said we ain't allowed outta the lair for nothing."  
  
"Yeah," TMNTPunker agreed. "You heard him as well as anybody."  
  
"None of you bees wax," Lenore snapped. "That's for me to know, and you to imagine."  
  
"We'll tell Master Splinter," TMNTPunker threatened.  
  
"Yeah, we will," Arista nodded.  
  
"Go right ahead. I DON'T care." She looked at her other sisters, who were all watching, and shouted the next bit. "YOU'RE ALL JUST A BUNCH OF POOPY- HEADS!"  
  
Ziptango, Daydream, and Mily all slouched down on the couch, hoping she hadn't mean them too. They hadn't meant to just sit there and let the others upset her. They just didn't know what to say. They'd only wanted to be let in on the secret TygeroftheWynd had said she had.  
  
Raphiella came out of her and HexAdecimal's room then with her book. "I'm not a Poopy-Head, am I?"  
  
"No," Lenore retorted. "Neither's Hex - yet."  
  
"Why are they Poopy-Heads?" Raphiella wanted to know.  
  
"They're being mean and won't leave me alone."  
  
"Oh," Raphiella acknowledged. She then headed off in search of HexAdecimal, who was still listening to her discman.  
  
Lenore angrily made her way over to the couch and plopped down next to Daydream, who was next to Ziptango, who was next to Mily. She looked at her three sisters on the couch.  
  
"What I miss?" She asked, indicating their cartoons.  
  
Daydream looked at her surprised, as did the other two. "You're talking to us?"  
  
"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?"  
  
They shrugged, and looked away casually.  
  
"It wasn't your fight. Don't worry 'bout it. I'm not mad at you. You didn't hurt me."  
  
Daydream hugged Lenore, and Lenore readily returned the embrace. Soon Ziptango and Mily joined the hug as well, making it a group hug.  
  
"Oh, puh-lease!" Machias exclaimed. "I feel like I'm watching The Brady's or Full House!"  
  
The four female turtles on the couch stuck their tongues out at her. "Nuh!"  
  
Everyone went back to what they'd originally been doing, thus finally leaving Lenore alone. After awhile Lenore got up and headed into the kitchen. She figured if she could make things all right with Raphael, then she should be able to do the same with Michaelangelo. She didn't really want to talk to Leonardo just yet.  
  
"Mikey," she said softly after entering the kitchen.  
  
Michaelangelo didn't even turn to acknowledge her. Instead, he answered harshly. "What do you want NOW Lenore?"  
  
Lenore looked at him wide-eyed, knowing he NEVER called her by her full name. EVER.  
  
"Um. I-I wanted to-to apologize," she began.  
  
He cut her off. "Save it 'cause I DON'T wanna hear it."  
  
"I didn't mean to Mikey," she told him quietly. "I was just mad and - and jealous."  
  
Michaelangelo turned to look at her then, giving her an icy look. "That's NO excuse. Also, you've NO reason to be jealous. You KNOW how I feel about jealousy. There's NO need for it, NOW or EVER."  
  
"But I - "  
  
"I said, DON'T." He took a very much controlled breath. "Now, I'd advise you to get outta here and bug someone else, before I get any angrier."  
  
"But - But - "  
  
"NOW!"  
  
Lenore quickly ran out of the kitchen and flew past her sisters who were mostly in the den. She would've ran out of the lair again, but ended up crashing into Leonardo before she could make it out the door.  
  
"Where do you think you're going?" He demanded. "You heard Sensei this morning."  
  
She looked up at him with tears streaming down her face.  
  
Leonardo looked at her in concern. "What's wrong?"  
  
He was shocked when she flung herself at him, as she normally only did that with Michaelangelo, and on occasion, Donatello.  
  
"Kiddo, what happened?"  
  
"I-I'm sorry," she choked out.  
  
He looked at her confused. "Sorry for what?" It dawned on him then. "Oh. That. - I'm sorry too. Just don't worry about it. It's done and over with." He hugged her back and rubbed her shell. "Shh." he soothed.  
  
"M-Mikey h-hates m-me," she managed to stutter, just as Raphael came in. "H-He's m-mad t-too."  
  
Leonardo looked at his brother in red and shared the same look. Both knew that Michaelangelo NEVER got mad at their baby sister. He often felt sorry for her, sure, but he was NEVER mad at her. Once in awhile he'd scold her or shake her, but that was always when she wouldn't behave and needed a slight reminder of the rules. And even though he did that, once in a blue moon, he was NEVER mad at her, just slightly upset. And even if upset, he still made sure she knew that he cared, and would give her a small smile at least.  
  
"Whatcha mean Mikey hates you?" Raphael interrogated. "Mikey doesn't hate anybody."  
  
Lenore looked up at Raphael, her tears still streaming down her face. "H- He's mad 'bout last night. I tried to say I'm sorry, but he yelled at me instead. Said he didn't wanna hear it. Told me to go bug somebody else."  
  
Raphael sighed and picked her up. "C'mon Kid. Let's go watch The Chipmunks, alright?"  
  
Lenore nodded and buried her head into her brother's shoulder. She wasn't used to him showing his soft side in front of their brothers, especially Leonardo, but right then was happy he was doing so.  
  
Leonardo patted Raphael's shell slightly. "I'll go talk to him."  
  
Raphael gave a slight nod, and headed over to the couch. "Move over," he told the three there.  
  
Daydream, Ziptango, and Mily quickly obeyed. They were confused as to why Lenore was softly crying into his shoulder, but knew enough not to question it. They also knew she'd probably explain it all later anyway.  
  
Raphael shifted Lenore to his left knee, then scooped Daydream up and placed her on his right one. He then scooted over to where Daydream had been sitting. He watched as Ziptango and Mily decided to press their luck and move closer. He signaled for Ziptango to sit on his left, and reached over and pulled Mily closer to him on his right. Once they were all settled, he had Lenore and Daydream in his lap, and Ziptango and Mily on either side of him, leaning against him.  
  
"What channel are The Chipmunks on?" He asked. "I told Lenni we'd watch 'em."  
  
"I know!" Daydream exclaimed, and grabbed the remote to change the channel. "See?"  
  
Just then the theme song blared from the television speakers. |Watch out, 'cause her we come | |It's been a while but we're | |back with style so | |Get set to have some fun | |We'll bring you action and | |satisfaction | | | |We're the Chipmunks | |C-H-I-P-M-U-N-K | |We're the Chipmunks | |Guaranteed to brighten your day| | | | | |When you feel like a laugh | |Give us a call we'll give you a| |ball and | |If you feel like a song | |Tune into us and sing right | |along | | | |We're the Chipmunks | |Coming on stronger than ever | |before | |We're the Chipmunks | |Alvin, Simon, Theodore | | | |Do do, do do do do | |Do do, do do do do |  
  
The girls giggled as they sang along, and laughed even harder when Raphael began to sing a couple of lines. They were kind of surprised he knew the song, but then realized he always seemed to walk in whenever Lenore had them on.  
  
While the five of them watched Alvin and the Chipmunks, Leonardo was in the kitchen arguing with Michaelangelo about how he'd treated Lenore.  
  
"Leo, why can't you ever just butt out and mind your own business?" Michaelangelo snapped. "If I wanna be mad, for once, let me be mad. I CAN'T always be the happy-go-lucky, carefree guy everyone perceives me to be."  
  
"That's still NO excuse for you to go and make our baby sister cry," Leonardo retorted. "Thanks to you snapping at her, she now thinks her all time favourite brother, YOU, her hero, hates her."  
  
"Why am I always everyone's flippin' hero?" Michaelangelo asked. "Why can't you ever be their hero, huh Leo?"  
  
"Apparently, I'm too bossy," Leonardo answered with a shrug. "But that's besides the point. The point is, you made someone, who thinks the world you, think that you now hate them over something they didn't mean to do."  
  
"Oh, so I see you bought that crap too, huh?"  
  
"What are you talking about Mikey?"  
  
"You honestly think she didn't mean to do what she did last night? Boy, are you even dumber than I thought. Leo, she KNOWS what she's doing and does it 'cause she's jealous. She thinks jealousy is something she can always use an excuse. I'm sick of her telling me she did things 'cause she was jealous. It's not right."  
  
"It's not right for you to upset her like you have either, Michaelangelo. I suggest you apologize to her before things get even more out of control than they already are."  
  
"Whatever Leo," Michaelangelo replied, going back to his baking. "Think whatever you want."  
  
"You know, at times like now, I swear you hang around with Raph too much."  
  
"He's my best friend, what do you want from me?"  
  
"Other than for you to set things right with Lenni, right now, nothing."  
  
Leonardo then stalked out of the kitchen and into the den where the majority of his siblings were. He headed over to the five on the couch.  
  
"Squash over," he said. "I need a break."  
  
As soon as they heard he was taking a break, Arista and TMNTPunker scurried over to the couch, and crawled into his lap once he'd taken his seat. Now, because they'd joined the cartoon watching crew, there were eight of them sitting on the couch.  
  
Donatello soon came out of his lab and plopped down on the floor, only to have Machias and Splinter pretty much tackle him. He smiled and pulled them both into his lap.  
  
Raphiella and HexAdecimal were in their room listening to HexAdecimal's discman and reading Raphiella's book.  
  
Danceingfae on the other hand, was still in her room, seeing as Master Splinter hadn't told her she could come out yet.  
  
Master Splinter finally remembered Danceingfae and told her she was free to leave her room, as long as she didn't cause anymore trouble. Danceingfae agreed and hurried into the kitchen to help Michaelangelo bake.  
  
Master Splinter made his way into the den to sit in his favourite chair, and was surprised to find Leonardo and Raphael watching cartoons with their sisters. Donatello didn't surprise him too much, as he was usually the one the girls dragged over to watch cartoons with. Michaelangelo was usually dragged in too, more so than Donatello. He was surprised to see Leonardo, as he was usually always practicing; he was glad his eldest child had finally decided to take a break from his training and role as leader. Raphael surprised him, because not only was he watching cartoons, he had four of his sisters either piled up on him. He normally wasn't one to show his soft side, unless one of the little ones, were extremely upset.  
  
Master Splinter took a seat in his chair, and gave his sons a warm smile to show he was pleased. He assumed something had either upset Daydream or Lenore, seeing as they were the ones in Raphael's lap. He glanced at the television, and decided to just sit back and enjoy the cartoon that his pupils were watching. As he watched he realized just why Lenore loved Alvin and the Chipmunks so much.  
  
A.N. FINALLY! Lol. I thought this chapter would NEVER end! Yeesh! *huge hug* Hope y'all liked this chapter as much as I do! Plz R & R! & those who haven't R & R "The Child" yet - PLZ do so! I miss your reviews SO much! *another hug* Also, even though HexAdecimal found out what had happened, she isn't a "Poopy-Head" 'cause she didn't bug "Lenore" (me- lol) about it. Well, g2g so I can post this! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTRSPA & KTCAPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTCPA & KTLCPA & KTBKPA!!!!! 


	8. The Forgotten Sister

A.N.: FINALLY!!!! An idea has STRUCK me by surprise! Lol. Actually, WAS gonna write a chapter 4 "Stinking Babies", but an idea I'd written in there for a chapter, gave me an idea for THIS story too! Technically, I should write the chapter 4 "Stinking Babies" first, but I always do things half ass backwards-lol. So, yeah, anyway, here's the next LONG, LONG awaited chapter! Enjoy!  
  
It was that time of year again - a time of year each member of the turtle clan dreaded with a passion. It was the month of June – a month where normally nothing big an exciting happens. Well, in the turtle home, it's a month of grieving – grieving for the sister they'd lost six years earlier, when they'd been younger and not as skilled in ninjitsu as they were now. For all they knew, she was dead – but – there was still that slight teeny bit of hope, that she was actually alive and well. Out of all the turtle children, Donatello always took it the hardest – he still blamed himself for the incident that had taken place – causing them to lose their one little sister.  
  
Six years earlier, on June 17th, their one two-year-old sister, Dawnatella, had been caught and taken away kicking and screaming by the evil Shredder and his Foot Soldiers. It had been Donatello who'd been with her at that time. He had taken her for a walk in the sewers – in a tunnel they didn't normally travel – and had been ambushed by the Foot. Being only seven at that time, it was a completely unfair match, in which he'd lost the one thing he was to protect. His little sister. Oh, he'd done the best he could've then, to try and keep the evil Foot from getting her – but they'd still captured her and carried her away, leaving him lying there in the tunnel beaten – bruised, and bloodied.  
  
It had been Raphael who'd found him, as he'd been wandering aimlessly about the sewers, and had happened to stumble upon his injured brother. Raphael had helped his brother home, then had run to fetch Master Splinter from the kitchen, where he had been preparing their dinner. Both had wondered what had happened, and why – they had no idea the extent of the young turtle in purple's ordeal, until he'd told them that the Foot had over-powered him and taken Dawnatella.  
  
Now, mind you, Master Splinter hadn't been too pleased when he'd heard that his son had taken her into a tunnel they were told to steer clear of, unless with him – but he also knew that right then, the matter could not be helped, and yelling at the young turtle would not have helped any right then either. Instead, he'd quickly fed his children, then sent them to the one Nursery and told them to remain quiet at all costs. He'd then gone to hunt for a new home – knowing if they stayed where they were, the Foot would eventually find them – and the thought of his children being harmed, made him all the more determined to find a new home for them that very night.  
  
The very next morning, the turtle clan was quickly and quietly ushered to their new home. Master Splinter made sure to go back for the things that they would need – or that he thought one of the children may desperately want – but otherwise, it was basically for their necessities. Oh, sure, from time-to-time he'd go back to their old lair, and check for any signs of Dawnatella – like any normal father, he was hoping she'd somehow be magically returned to him. Of course, as you know, he'd no such luck.  
  
Ever since they day Dawnatella had been abducted, Donatello had tortured himself every year for the whole month of June. As far as he was concerned, the constant torture he put himself through couldn't be helped – he deserved it after all, didn't he? After all, he did take his little sister into forbidden territory, thus putting her in grave danger. And he'd known better than that – hadn't he? Who knew? He sure didn't – nor did he ever ask anyone for their opinion on the whole matter. He didn't want for anyone to know how badly it still bothered him – that it'd been his fault. His fault...  
  
June of the year following of Dawnatella's abduction, was the first year that it'd really hit home. Master Splinter had noticed his pupils acting more strangely than usual, and questioned Leonardo and Michaelangelo about it as Raphael – and Donatello – refused to talk. After hearing what they'd had to say, it was then that he'd decided to hold a ceremony in Dawnatella's memory, so that she would always be remembered properly – not that his children wouldn't think of her anyway – but still.  
  
Now, because of that ceremony – which lasted the whole week of the 17th - each child had come to either hate or cherish the month of June. Donatello, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Lenore, Ziptango, Daydream, and Mily had all come to despise the month of June – each for a different reason. Donatello, obviously, loathed this particular month, because of what he was forced to remember over and over again. Raphael detested it, as he was forced to remember a time when the Foot had been able to overcome them and cause them great harm and pain – he hated anything that harmed is family in any way, no matter how small it may be. Michaelangelo, well, he just hated the fact that everyone was always so sad and seeing them sad depressed him. He did not like being depressed, so he'd always try to cheer them up, only to be scolded by Sensei – which he did not like at all. Lenore despised the month, as all everyone talked about was Dawnatella – she didn't like the fact that someone who wasn't even there anymore could hog all the attention. She also hated it because her brother's attitudes would change, and her and her sisters would fight more often over stupid little things – thus upsetting Master Splinter. Now, Ziptango on the other hand, she just didn't like seeing Donatello all upset – she knew of the situation, but didn't understand how – after al these years – he could still blame himself for what had happened. As far as she was concerned, it'd just been one big, horrible, accident. And Daydream, well, she basically hated month for the same reason as Michaelangelo – only, she showed it in a different way. Oh, and Mily. Mily didn't like all the talk about what "might have" happened to their sister after she'd been captured.  
  
Everybody else – Arista, TMNTPunker, Raphiella, HexAdecimal, TygeroftheWynd, Splinter, Machias, Danceingfae, and Leonardo – cherished the month. They knew and understood why it was so important that they do this for the sister they'd lost – each hoped that if something should ever happen to them, that their siblings would do for them what they were doing for Dawnatella each year.  
  
(Note: stopped this chapter at 1:50a.m. Monday January 19th, 2004. )  
  
Finally it was the day Donatello dreaded. It was the 17th of June. He grumbled as he entered the dojo for the ceremony that was about to take place. He took his seat on the dojo floor next to Leonardo, and remained silent, his lips pursed together tightly.  
  
Master Splinter soon entered the dojo, and began the ceremony. He'd had to stop a few times though, so that some of his pupils could calm themselves – and once he did have to stop to scold Lenore for fidgeting and trying to get Ziptango's attention.  
  
Lenore grumbled to herself quietly after she'd been scolded – she didn't mean to fidget so much, but she was getting bored and wanted to go off and play.  
  
Master Splinter carried on with the ceremony, and eventually called it to an end, when it seemed certain young turtles were unable to stop sobbing long enough for him to speak. He bowed to his students, then left the dojo, knowing they'd all leave within their own time. Mind you, he wasn't surprised to see Lenore the first to come barreling out of the room, only to plop down in front of the Nintendo. He knew all had different ways with dealing with this sort of thing, and playing seemed to be her way of dealing with it – no matter how much he disapproved.  
  
Eventually, everyone, except for Donatello, had left the dojo to go do their own thing. They were glad Master Splinter had always given them this day off, so that they could relax, reminisce, and come to sorts with their feelings about what had happened all those years ago.  
  
Donatello still sat on the dojo floor, staring down at his hands. He'd willed himself not to cry throughout the whole ceremony, and so far he'd succeeded. He did NOT want to cry over what had happened anymore. He was sick off all his tears, and would yell at himself anytime he did cry over the loss of his sister. No one knew the depth of his pain – as no one else had been there to hear Dawnatella's terrified screams. Nor had they seen her being hit by the Foot, to get her to shut-up, so that they could take her away quickly and quietly.  
  
He rubbed as his eyes furiously, when he felt tears begin to fall, as he remembered what all had happened the week before she'd been taken from them – from him.  
  
Flashback.....  
  
Dawnatella sat on the foot of Donatello's bed, anxiously waiting for him to get up. She loved Donatello – hence the reason Master Splinter had named her Dawnatella.  
  
Donatello could feel something – or someone – on his legs. He knew it had to be one of his sisters – namely Ziptango or Dawnatella – when he felt whoever was sitting on him, pat his legs.  
  
"Donnie," Dawnatella called softly, patting her brother's legs again. "Donnie, ake up!" (wake up)  
  
Donatello groaned as he opened his eyes, and smiled when he saw his little sister grinning at him. "Hey Munchkin."  
  
"Donnie!" Dawnatella squealed happily. She giggled as she began to bounce on him in excitement.  
  
Donatello picked her up and set her on his plastron, so that she was closer – and also so that he could regain feeling in his legs. "Whatcha doing up so early?"  
  
Dawnatella smiled at him innocently. She'd woken up to see him – everyone else was still sleeping – except Master Splinter.  
  
"You wanna have breakie?"  
  
"Reakie!" She giggled as she clapped her hands. She leaned down and kissed his beak.  
  
"Alright. Breakie, it is then," Donatello laughed quietly, as he got up – he was careful not to knock her off the bed and onto the floor. Once he was out of bed, he picked her up and padded his way down the hall and into the kitchen, where Master Splinter was making himself a cup of tea.  
  
"Ah, early wake up call, my son?" Master Splinter said softly.  
  
Donatello chuckled. "Hai Sensei."  
  
Dawnatella clapped, then threw her arms around her brother's neck. "Donnie!" She said proudly, as she beamed up at their father.  
  
"Yes, that is Donatello, my Little One," Master Splinter smiled warmly. He patted her head, then went out to the den to sit in his chair while he drank his cup of tea. He'd known when he'd let Dawnatella out of her crib that she'd go straight for Donatello.  
  
In the kitchen, Donatello got them both some cereal after setting his little sister down in the one high chair he'd built for their sisters. He laughed as she ate her Cheerios – something Master Splinter had actually been able to find.  
  
"You're silly Dawna," he told her, calling her by the nickname he'd given her. Best part was, she'd only let him call her Dawna – anyone else did and she'd scream.  
  
Dawnatella grinned at him, then drank from her sippy cup – another thing they had lots of, as people always seemed to be throwing them out.  
  
Donatello shook his head, as he lifted the end up of purple and white bandana and tied them behind her head. She always managed to get her bandana in the way, thus making it all sticking and gooey from her breakfast.  
  
After breakfast, and once he'd cleaned up their mess and Dawnatella, he carried her out into the den to watch cartoons. She loved cartoons. Best part was, she liked the same shows he did – nobody else really cared for his shows.  
  
Dawnatella giggled as Bill Nye The Science Guy came on. She loved Bill Nye the Science Guy. She snuggled into Donatello, as she watched the show.  
  
Donatello held his sister close to him, though she was sitting in his lap all ready. He loved it when one of his sisters would cuddle with him, and not Michaelangelo or one of his other brothers. He always seemed to be the forgotten brother – unless, of course, Dawnatella and Ziptango were around.  
  
Soon enough, their other siblings were up and running about. He was surprised when Ziptango decided to stay glued to Lenore, Daydream, Mily, and Michaelangelo. She was usually always with him, so for her not to be with him was a rare occurrence. He shrugged it off, deciding to let it go, as he stood up with Dawnatella in his arms, and carried her into the room that would soon be his lab – Master Splinter had promised, and he never broke a promise. It just wasn't honorable to break a promise to anyone – especially not the ones you loved.  
  
For quite awhile, him and Dawnatella tinkered around with the stuff in the room – and more than enough times, he'd stop what he was doing to play with her and show her stuff he knew she'd find interesting. He'd even found an old stuffed dog that desperately needed some repair. Without anyone knowing, he'd repaired the dog, and now had it hiding behind his back.  
  
"Donnie!" Dawnatella cried impatiently, wanting whatever it was he held hidden behind his back. "Give Dawna!"  
  
Donatello laughed. "What's the magic word, Silly Dawna."  
  
"Pwease?" Dawnatella asked, giving him a puppy-dog look.  
  
Donatello brought the stuffed purple dog out from behind his back, and showed it to her. "You want this Dawna? Do you want the puppy Donnie found and fixed up just for you?"  
  
Dawnatella nodded eagerly, as she reached out for the stuffed dog. She hugged it close to her plastron after her brother had finally given it to her. "Tank-you Donnie!"  
  
"You're welcome Munchkin," Donatello smiled, kissing her head.  
  
For the rest of the day, the two of them had hung out and basically been inseparable. That night, he even let her sleep in his bed with him, as it was what she wanted – she would've kept on screaming and crying otherwise.  
  
End of Flashback.....  
  
Donatello shook his head trying to get rid of the memories, then got up and left the dojo, heading straight for his room. Once in his room, he quickly went to his closet, and dug around for a box he kept hidden from the rest of the family. Once he'd found it, and had made sure the door to his room was closed, he opened the box and took out what it contained. He hugged the box's contents to his chest, as his tears began to fall again, and he lay down on his bed.  
  
"I love you Dawnatella," he murmured softly, to what he held. "Love you so much."  
  
No one knew it, but what he kept hidden in that box, was the little stuffed purple dog he'd given her the week before she'd been abducted. She'd had it on her when the Foot came and took her away – thus making her drop her beloved dog. And in the week she'd had the dog, she'd never – ever – leave it behind. She'd always had it clutched in her little fist, as it was her all-time favourite toy.  
  
As he lay there clutching the dog, tears streaming down his face, he – like always – prayed that his little sister was still alive and well. He prayed that whatever the Foot and Shredder had done to her, hadn't been too bad nor caused her any pain. He didn't wish it upon any of his siblings, and especially not his little sisters – not even Lenore. No matter how bratty anything of them got at times. He loved them all too much to wish upon them what had happened to Dawnatella. And lastly, he prayed that they would one day be re-united with the little sister they'd lost six years earlier. He prayed it so hard and so much, that he knew deep down that one day it would eventually come true.  
  
(Note: ended this chapter at 4p.m. Friday, January 23rd, 2004.)  
  
A.N.: Obviously, it took my two hours in total to write this chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed it – I wrote the last half while not in a good mood. I know it seems kinda short, but it was an important chapter that needed to be written up – and it's actually six pages long-lol. And sorry it took me so long to post it – wanted to have the chapter about this in "Stinking Babies" written up first – obviously, that was just done. Lol. Well, adios! Plz R & R! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTJTPA & KTKCPA & KTJTTPA & KTCPA & KTBSPA & KTBKPA & KTCAPA & KTRMPA & KTRSPA!!!!! ~Lenni~ 


	9. Talk With Teddy

A.N.: Hola mi amigos! I'm slow, I know. Sorry about that....Enjoy!

Leo's Girl: I own Ziptango & Daydream, just because I can. I stated this a few chapters back in my one disclaimer. But, I am glad you enjoy the story! And yes, I have been attacked by the evil force, called "Writer's Block". I'm afraid it had won, but I'm slowly (VERY slowly) beating it once more.

Disclaimer: Only own, Lenni, Ziptango, Daydream, & the story idea. Thank-you.

* * *

It had been three weeks since the Circus incident, and STILL Michaelangelo was mad at Lenore for the stunts she had pulled. No one could believe that their brother in orange could hold a grudge like this over something like that this long. They'd all tried to make things right between the two again, but all had failed at it miserably. Not even Master Splinter had been able to get through to Michaelangelo, and make him see just how much he was hurting Lenore.

Michaelangelo knew he was hurting his sister, but what no one seemed to notice, was that she had hurt him first. She had never been one to lie to him and treat him like crap or anything, thus being the reason why he had NEVER treated her like that either. He'd thought they'd had an understanding between them, but apparently he had been wrong all this time. He'd tried to forgive her – he really had – but he just couldn't seem to do it. So, thanks to her, he was holding his very first and longest grudge ever – least that he knew of.

He headed out towards the kitchen quietly, as it was the middle of the night. He paused just outside of the kitchen doorway when he heard someone talking. He stood there listening silently.

Lenore had gotten up to get something to eat, as she was usually hungry at this time of night. She had been known to sneak into the kitchen in the middle of the night for a snack – though she had been told to stop doing so, as it would help them save their food for a longer period of time. But – as always – she disobeyed the rules, seeing as she was just so hungry.

She was sitting there munching away on apple slices that had been left in the fridge – only now they were covered in chocolate sauce, as she'd dumped it upon them. She had her old Teddy Bear with her – the one she had had for years – her newest Teddy still lying asleep in her bed awaiting her return. She was talking to her best friend, as she munched on her chocolate apple slices.

"I don't get it, Teddy," she whispered to her bear sadly. "Why won't Mikey talk to me? I've TRIED to talk to him, but he won't listen."

Michaelangelo was surprised when he heard another voice – one he'd never heard before - reply then.

"Keep trying. He'll give in," the new, deep voice, answered.

"But how do you KNOW that?" Lenore demanded. "Leo said that too, an' Mikey STILL hasn't given in an' talked to me!"

"Give him time. He's just as hurt as you are," the voice stated.

"How can he be as hurt as me, when I'M the one who falls asleep crying? Huh?"

"How do you know that he doesn't do the same thing?" The voice asked. "Hmm? How can you know what he feels, if he doesn't tell you or let you see?"

"'Cause it's Mikey. I'm s'pose to know Mikey better than ANYone," Lenore replied.

"Even himself? Only he can know what goes on inside his head – and him alone. You may THINK you know, but you will NEVER know the extent of it all."

Lenore grumbled softly then. "I just – I want MY understanding brother back – Now."

"I know you do. Everyone wants him back the way he was before, not just you. You are just probably the one that wishes it the most."

Lenore sighed heavily then. "How come you know so much, Teddy?"

Michaelangelo tried not to laugh at that, as he had just been wondering the exact same thing.

"Because I am older than you, Honey. I just know these types of things. Trust me."

"I always trust you, Teddy. I love you more than anybody – even Mikey!"

"Oh, sure...Love the bear more than me..." Michaelangelo thought to himself quietly.

The bear seemed to chuckle then. "I love you too, Honey Bear."

Lenore giggled at that. "If I'm Honey, an' you're Teddy, shouldn't we get married then?"

"Maybe for play, but not for real. You can't marry me, Honey. You need to find someone else who loves you as much as I do, and marry then."

"Like Mikey?" Lenore asked.

"NO! Not Mikey, Silly. Someone outside of the family - But don't worry about it, as you have a LONG way to go before that."

"Kay..." Lenore said softly. "An' you're SURE Mikey will quit bein' mad at me soon?"

"Yes, I'm sure," the bear assured her. "He will be over it soon enough, and then you will be hanging off him again like always."

"Promise?"

"Yes, I promise."

"But how come you can promise, when you know Mikey as well as I do? Maybe even a bit less..."

"Because I know him as well as you do, maybe less, and know he'll get over this and go back to being his old crazy self once more. This, will all blow over soon, and all will be well again."

Lenore sighed again, like she had before. "Kay Teddy...I sure hope you're right. I really do miss playin' with Mikey."

"I know, Honey," the bear replied. "Now, don't you think it's time we went back to bed? I'm SO tired, I could fall asleep with my face in your empty bowl of chocolate apples."

Lenore giggled. "Yeah...Let's go back to bed...Not s'pose to be up now anyway...Sensei said so..."

Michaelangelo watched as she placed her bowl in the sink, then turned back to pick her Teddy Bear up. He moved away from the door, as not to be spotted, just a few seconds before she walked out.

Lenore cuddled her Teddy Bear close and quietly headed back for the room she shared with Mily. She hoped she wouldn't ever get caught, as she knew if she did, she'd have to suffer through kitchen clean-up duty, and she hated that with a passion!

Once he had seen Lenore enter her room, and was sure she wouldn't be returning anytime soon, Michaelangelo peered into the kitchen. He was trying to locate the source of the Teddy Bear's voice. Needless to say, he was shocked beyond belief when he found no evidence proving that the bear hadn't really talked. He let his eyes scan the whole kitchen, and shook his head in disbelief. There was NO way her bear could talk – was there?

Michaelangelo turned then, and headed back for his room – his thirst and hunger now forgotten by his new found confusion. He knew he couldn't ask Lenore about this, as he was still a bit mad at her. Also, he didn't want her to know that he had been spying, as that would do more harm than good to their relationship.

Once in his room, Michaelangelo crawled back into his bed, and soon fell into a deep sleep. He snored loudly and drooled slightly for the rest of the night.

* * *

A.N.: Well, that's it for now. Hope y'all liked this one. I know it was a bit short, but it's the best I can do at the moment. Also, the next chapter will also probably just be Mikey and I. Y'all have to wait a lil' bit for your appearances again, as I've already an idea for the next chapter. Just hope I can write it up faster than I did this one. Lol. Adios! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTJTTPA & KTKCPA & KTJTPA & KTCPA & KTBKPA & KTRSPA & KTCAPA & KTKILPA & KTNEDPA!!!!!

_Lenni_

P.S. Next chapter, should I get reviews, will be up tomorrow.

P.P.S. Currently working on next chapter of "Stinking Babies". Arista, you're up next. Ideas welcome if anyone has any for future chapters. Arista, I remember the idea you had long ago, & am using it, just hafta word it & stuff to make it perfect. Well, actually, I gotta write it - got only a paragraph done, then was interrupted & ain't touched it since - lol. But, it shall get done - soon - I hope. Adios!


	10. Cool Again

A.N.: Hola once more mi amigos! Fast, eh? Lol. Said I'd try & get the next one done soon as possible – Hehe.

Disclaimer: Own story idea, Lenore, Ziptango, & Daydream. Nothing else! Well, except maybe the bandanas! Lol. J/k.

* * *

Two days after the 'Teddy Bear' incident in the kitchen, Michaelangelo FINALLY decided he'd best talk to Lenore, before this whole thing got way too out of hand for the both of them. He found her sitting in the den, playing Twister with a few of her sisters.

"Lenni..." Michaelangelo said briskly. "Kitchen. Now."

Lenore gulped slightly, as she eyed her sisters worriedly in the process of getting up. She quickly and quietly followed her brother in orange into the kitchen – where – to her dismay – no one sat eating.

"Sit," Michaelangelo ordered.

Lenore crawled into one of the kitchen chairs and watched as he sat in one and turned it so that he could face her. She bit her lip nervously, not having any idea as to just what he would want – considering he was still mad at her and all.

"Are you going to stop lying to me, and making me feel like crap?" Michaelangelo asked her sternly. "Are you going to behave and do as told?"

"Ye-ah..." Lenore answered suspiciously, trailing off a bit. "Why?"

"Because if you can do all that for me, then I think I just might be able to forgive you for upsetting and hurting me like you did."

"You hurt me too, Mikey," Lenore told him. "Hurt more than Leo's spanking."

Michaelangelo sighed. "I believe that, Lenni. But only because I would be saying the same thing, if I were in your position."

Lenore sighed, and looked at him sadly. "Are you still mad at me?"

"Not anymore, Kiddo," Michaelangelo answered, giving her a smile. "I think I've gotten over it now. I'm just sorry it took me this long to do so."

"So...we're friends again?"

"Lenni, we'll always be friends, you Silly Duck."

Lenore giggled. "Good...I missed you Mikey."

"I missed you too, Lenni. Even if we were both here the whole time." He cupped her chin in his hand then, and looked into her eyes. "I love you."

Lenore's whole face lit up, and she slid out of her chair, only to throw her arms about him in a hug. "I love you too, Mikey!"

An orange white-stripped bandana, attached to a small green head poked in the kitchen then. "Are you guys okay now? Can we all go back to playing together and everything?"

Michaelangelo laughed. "Yes, Dance, we're cool again."

"THEY'RE COOL!" Danceingfae yelled to her other siblings, who were all anxiously awaiting the verdict. "LENNI AND MIKEY ARE COOL AGAIN!"

"Shall we get her?" Michaelangelo whispered to Lenore, who just nodded her response silently.

"RAWR!" Michaelangelo and Lenore yelled, as they jumped up to chase Danceingfae out of the kitchen.

"AH!" Danceingfae shrieked, as she hightailed it out of there. "HELP!"

Soon though, Michaelangelo tackled Danceingfae to the floor playfully, and with Lenore's help, had begun to tickle the eldest turtle girl. Danceingfae squealed with laughter, as she squirmed to try and get away.

"PILE UP!" Machias yelled, then jumped atop Michaelangelo.

Shortly afterwards, all the turtle girls had tackled their brother in orange, who had stopped playing with them like this when he got mad at Lenore. Their three elder brothers came out of their respective rooms – Donatello his lab, Leonardo the dojo, and Raphael the bathroom – to see just what all the ruckus was about. They laughed when they saw all the girls shrieking and tickling their brother.

The three brothers still standing eyed one another, then with a playful war cry, joined in on the pile up. "COWABUNGA!"

With that, all of them were now squealing with laughter, and squirming about as they were tickled. The brothers had gotten the girls off Michaelangelo, and were each tickling the girls they had managed to capture. Raphael tortured HexAdecimal, Raphiella, and TygeroftheWynd, while Donatello tickled Machias, Ziptango, and Mily. Leonardo had captured Splinter, TMNTPunker, and Arista, and Michaelangelo had Lenore, Daydream, and Danceingfae.

Master Splinter came out of his study, only to find a blur of very colourful bandanas flying about. The boys had taken them off the girls' heads, and flung them about the room, just as he had walked in. He noted Michaelangelo playing with his sisters, and smiled to himself when he spotted Lenore lying under her brother in orange, along with two of her sisters. He had known that all the anger Michaelangelo and Lenore had felt towards one another would blow over soon – as they were like peas in a pod.

He watched for a bit longer, before finally clearing his throat loudly. And when that didn't work, he stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled shrilly. He held back a chuckle as his pupils looked up at him surprised.

"I believe, that shall be enough chaos for today. You must keep quiet, if we are not to be found," Master Splinter scolded gently. "Now, do clean this mess you have made up. Then I would like for all of you to find quieter activities for yourselves, unless you would care to join me in my study for the remainder of the day."

"Hai, Sensei," was the reply he got.

Master Splinter left the room then, returning once more to his study. He was glad his children were getting along, but knew he had to make sure they stayed quiet, and weren't loud for too long.

Once their Sensei had left the room, the brothers gave each girl under them a kiss, then let them up to find their bandanas. The only one who still had a girl under him was Michaelangelo, as he wasn't through with one particular sister just yet. He didn't realize it, but everyone in the room was now watching him and their youngest sister.

Michaelangelo smiled down at Lenore, after having had let the other two girls up to fetch their bandanas. "I'm glad I'm not mad at you anymore."

"I'm glad you're glad you're not mad," Lenore smirked up at him.

Michaelangelo laughed, and leaned down to kiss her head. "Love you, Lenni."

"Love you too, Mikey."

"Aww..." Everyone else teased.

Michaelangelo rolled his eyes at Lenore, then helped her up to find her bandana. Once it had been found, instead of giving it to her, he took his off, and stuck hers upon his head. He then tied his bandana upon her small head, and laughed when she looked up at him.

"Cute," he smiled.

Lenore hugged him again glad to have her favourite brother back on her side once more.

All the turtle children then set about doing quieter things – some returning to their previous game of Twister – others just going off in whatever direction they felt like.

* * *

A.N.: There – how was that? Was that good? Did yah like it? Sorry y'all didn't have bigger parts in this chapter either, but I did warn yah last time that yah might not. But, hey, two chapters done in one day – I'm getting better – lol. Now, watch – I shall be struck with Writer's Block once more. Ideas are welcomed warmly! KTBSPA & KTNTPA & KTACPA & KTCAPA & KTKCPA & KTJTPA & KTBKPA & KTKILPA & KTRSPA & KTCPA & KTJTTPA & KTNEDPA!!!!!

Lenni

P.S. I shall be gone for about a week now, so if I don't post anything in the next week, that's why.

Enjoy! Peace out!


	11. The Flood

A.N.: I'm ba-ack. sings Oh my god I'm back again! Dun, dun. Brothers, sisters, all turtles sing. Gonna bring the flavour, show yah now. Got a new chapter for yah, yah better read it right now. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everybody; Yeah. Read the chapter. Yeah. Everybody; read the chapter right now. The turtles are back, alright! Lol. Yes, I'm obviously still a BSB fan. Hehe. Enjoy!

* * *

It was a rainy day in New York City. One of those rainy days, where you could curl up with a good book and get lost in it forever, seeing as the television was out because of the storm. One where you could play make-believe and not have anybody make fun of you for it. One where anything could happen at the most least expected moment.

The turtle clan was all strewn about the lair, everyone caught up in doing something fun – to try and keep their minds of the storm above, and the fact that the television had gone out long ago.

Pretty much, all was going quite well on this rainy day in New York, in the turtle lair. This was rare, but not as rare as one might think. Sure the siblings bickered plenty, but they still got along pretty well and they all loved one another well enough. But they were all different, so there was always reason for an argument to ensure eventually, even on their good days. But, luckily, none had broken out thus far, making everyone in the household rather grateful.

Master Splinter of course, was in his study, mediating like always. He was trying to keep calm, knowing today was probably going to be a good day for mischief and arguments, considering the storm above – and the fact that during storms, the girls were restricted to the lair.

Leonardo was in the dojo, as per usual. He was helping Arista and TMNTPunker hone their ninjitsu skills, as they had requested his help, of course. They would do just about anything to spend more time with Leonardo, their favourite brother.

"Now, girls, hold your stances," Leonardo instructed. "The longer you can hold them, the better. A ninja must have balance, otherwise they'll fall over and it could be deadly if they were in the midst of battle."

"Deadly?" TMNTPunker choked out. "We don't wanna die in battle, Leo!"

Leonardo rolled his eyes. "I never said you would, Punker. I said a ninja. You're not a full-fledged ninja."

"Yet," Arista muttered. "You're s'pose to make us feel better, not worse, Leo!"

"Well, then hold your stances better, and I won't be forced to scare yah into doing it."

"You're bein' mean!" Both girls whined, while trying to keep their stances.

"I'm being honest," Leonardo defended.

"Well, don't be so honest!" TMNTPunker told him. "Sensei told yah not to scare us, and you're scarin' us!"

"Alright, alright. Sorry," Leonardo apologized. "Let's just practice for the fun of it, alright?"

Both girls nodded eagerly, glad he decided to just let this practice they had requested be fun.

Donatello was busy at work as always in his lab. Machias and Splinter joining him like they usually did on days like today. They loved to help him, and knew he'd grant them that, so long as they didn't touch anything they weren't supposed to and abided by his rules. And so far, they were doing a pretty good job of it. Mostly, they were his gofers, but they enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Careful Machias! Don't drop that!" Donatello called.

"I'm not gonna, Donnie!" Machias argued, carrying a computer monitor over to him. "I'm not a weakling!"

Splinter snickered. "Donnie thinks we're all weaklings when it comes to his stuff, Machias. He don't trust nobody to carry it but Leo and himself. And he only trusts Leo, 'cause he's the fearless leader."

Machias rolled her eyes, just as the fearless leader had, though neither knew it. "Well, we're ninjas. We're s'pose to be strong."

"Strong 'nough to fight! Whoot! We c'n kick shell!" Splinter cheered.

Donatello sighed. Sometimes his sister's just didn't understand the seriousness of being a ninja. "Girls, there's more to it than that. And Sensei will probably teach yah that soon enough."

"Aww, man," both groaned. "We like the sparring! It's fun!"

Donatello shook his head. "I need you girls to help me fix Raph's stereo. It seems it got broke, and won't play the stations he wants."

"Yah mean, Raph smashed it 'cause he had a temper-tantrum!" Machias countered, as Splinter laughed.

"Now that we all know what I mean, let's get to work," Donatello smiled. He knew today would be less dull than usual. Seemed the girls were in quite the playful mood.

Raphael was being his usual ornery self, and was off working on his bike. He'd gotten permission to let Raphiella and HexAdecimal to tag along. The girls had been bored and wanted something to do, so he suggested they come help him tune up his bike. Of course, they had jumped at the chance! Wasn't every day Raphael offered to let anybody go with him – even if he was ornery.

"Hurry it up an' bring me that can of oil, Ella!" Raphael snapped.

"Sorry!" Raphiella apologized, hurrying over to him with what he had requested.

"About damned time!" Raphael growled, grabbing it from her.

"Don't you yell at her!" HexAdecimal told him angrily. "We're just tryin' to help 'cause _you_ asked us too, an' you're bein' mean!"

"I'm always mean, kid. Yet, yah seem to love me anyway," Raphael snorted, greasing up his bike.

"You don't usually snap at us over stupid things," Raphiella commented softly. "You do that to Leo. We're _not_ Leo!"

"Alright, alright. Yeesh!" Raphael exclaimed exasperatedly. "Just – grab me some more tools, alright? Then I'll show yah how to change a wheel."

"Sweet!" The girls exclaimed. Wasn't every day Raphael offered to show them something – even if it was only how to change a wheel.

Michaelangelo was in the kitchen baking with his usual crew. Danceingfae, Daydream, and Mily. They were determined to make the cake that was supposed to be the result of the new recipe they had found – even if it took them all day to do so.

"Mikey? Is it s'pose to look like this?" Daydream asked softly, covered head-to-toe in flower. "It don't look yummy."

Michaelangelo laughed when he looked into her bowl. "Did yah add eggs, Day?"

"Ack! Eggs! I forgot the eggs!" Daydream cried, running over to the counter that they had set the eggs upon. She attempted to break a couple, dropping them on the floor instead.

Michaelangelo quickly went over and cracked two into her bowl for her. "There yah go. Just clean up the goop yah got on the floor, alright?"

"Kay Mikey!" Daydream smiled, quickly grabbing up some paper towel.

Moments later, a shriek was heard. "Daydream! Look what you did!"

Michaelangelo looked over and tried not to laugh. Danceingfae stood with hands on her hips, and Daydream was covered completely in the cake mix. "What happened?"

"She bumped me when I went to put it in the oven!" Danceingfae exclaimed.

Mily giggled behind her hand. "She c'n be a cake goo monster."

"Rawr!" Daydream yelled, starting to chase Mily around the kitchen.

Michaelangelo caught them both. "Ladies, no running about the kitchen while we're trying to bake. We've had enough accidents for one morning."

"Kay, Mikey," both girls replied sheepishly.

"Day, go get cleaned up, then come back and I'll find yah somethin' to do, okay?"

Daydream nodded and ran off to get cleaned up, while Michaelangelo got the ingredients down once more for Danceingfae so she could start over, with Mily's help.

Lenore, who would've usually been with Michaelangelo, pretty much glued to his hip, was actually off playing with Ziptango and TygeroftheWynd. The three girls had decided to play an odd game of hide and seek. The game rules they'd made up for it, were the ones hiding had to hide something else as well, and couldn't be counted as fully caught until both them and the object had been found. It wasn't traditional, but it did make for a pretty interesting game – especially if they forgot to tell one another what their object was, before hiding it and themselves.

"I'm _not_ it!" Lenore cried, stamping her foot. "You _didn't_ find my object!"

"Lenni, you hid the remote for the T.V.," TygeroftheWynd reminded her. "I found it 'fore I found Ziptango's bandana, so now you're it."

"That's _not_ fair!" Lenore argued.

"It is so!" Ziptango told her. "I hid my bandana better, than you did the remote! Not our fault!"

Lenore angrily shoved Ziptango, sending her flying into the coffee table. "Liar!"

"Ow!" Ziptango yelped, landing upon the floor with a thud.

"Lenni! That was mean!" TygeroftheWynd stated. "If you keep shovin' people, you c'n play by yourself!"

"You c'n play by yerself if yah gonna cheat!" Lenore growled, shoving TygeroftheWynd this time.

TygeroftheWynd went flying backwards, landing upon her rump. "Hey!"

Glares were shared, which seemed to be all that was needed for the three to start wrestling about on the floor like crazy, forgetting their game of hide 'n' seek – and the rule of no sparring outside of the dojo.

Master Splinter heard the scuffle from where he sat in his study. He frowned and went out to investigate as his whiskers twitched, he was shocked to find the three girls wrestling about on the floor – and he knew it wasn't playful wresting either, as they were all shouting mean things at one another.

"ENOUGH!" He shouted, trying to get them to silence, but to no avail. He moved over to them and separated them, holding Lenore up in front of him. "What is the meaning of this?"

"They started it!" Lenore accused.

"We did not!" TygeroftheWynd and Ziptango argued. "You did!"

Master Splinter set Lenore down next to her sisters, eyeing them all sternly. "Ziptango, please tell me what happened."

"Lenni didn't wanna be it," Ziptango answered. "We was playin' hide 'n' seek, but she got mad when Tyger told her she was it. Then she shoved me an' Tyger."

"Yeah," TygeroftheWynd nodded her agreement.

"That is no reason to fight back," Master Splinter scolded. "That is reason to come find someone to help get things back under control. You three know better than to spar outside of dojo!"

The girls all hung their heads, staring down at their feet. "Sorry Sensei."

"You shall all be punished," Master Splinter told them. "Now, turn."

They all turned reluctantly, knowing what was coming, though still yelping when his cane hit their bottoms, though with not all that much force.

"Now, corners!" Master Splinter ordered. "And no more fighting!"

Ziptango and TygeroftheWynd each ran for a corner in the den in tears. They hadn't been spanked all that hard, but the fact that they'd had to be spanked had hurt more than the actual spanking had.

Lenore on the other hand, took off running full force for the hallway leading to her room.

Master Splinter very quickly caught up to her, grabbing her about her waist and carrying the squirming and kicking young turtle over to a corner, where he whacked her with his cane once more. "Enough, child! Anymore of this nonsense and you shall spend the day in my study."

Lenore sniffled and hiccupped through her tears, as she rubbed her bottom. "I'm sorry, Master Splinter."

Master Splinter nodded and kissed her head. "Half an hour," he told her, before going over and kissing the heads of Ziptango and TygeroftheWynd.

The three girls stood in their respective corners, not daring to do anything more than cry softly. Master Splinter never spanked all that hard, with or without his cane, but it still hurt knowing that they had disappointed him enough for him to have to do that.

Master Splinter returned to his study, meditating once more. He was also keeping an ear out for the three in the den, knowing they didn't always stay in their corners during a punishment – especially the youngest one.

A short while later the storm above got worse than it had been before. Unknowingly to anyone up top, the sewers had begun to flood because of the rain water. The first to notice it was flooding, where the three young turtles still standing in corners in the den on the turtle lair.

"Hey! Whose sprayin' water!" TygeroftheWynd demanded. "My feet are gettin' wet!"

Ziptango turned to look and gasped. "There's water comin' in!"

Lenore whirled about, her jaw dropping to the floor when she saw that indeed there was water entering their home.

Just as the girls had noticed, Master Splinter had came scurrying out of his study having had sensed the danger. He placed his fingers in his mouth and let out three shrill whistles, which signaled for everybody to come immediately.

Michaelangelo and his crew emerged from the kitchen, as did Donatello and his crew but only from his lab instead. Leonardo and his crew came out of the dojo, just as Raphael entered carrying HexAdecimal and Raphiella.

"Yanno the sewers are floodin'?" Raphael asked, setting the two young turtle girls down. "I had to nab 'em 'fore they got swept away."

"My sons, we must get to higher ground! Immediately!" Master Splinter ordered. "The waters are going to be here soon and will reach much higher levels than the girls are used to with a very strong current."

Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo all nodded. They all very quickly reached for the closest three girls near them, then hurried out of the lair after Master Splinter. They had a safe spot to go for an occasion like this, but this was the first time Master Splinter had ever looked worried about it.

Lenore squirmed like crazy as Raphael carried her. He had grabbed her, while Leonardo had grabbed Ziptango and Donatello TygeroftheWynd. "Lemme go!" She cried. "I hafta get Teddy!"

"Kid, I wouldn't be worryin' about Teddy if I were you," Raphael told her. "These waters get high an' fast 'nough, an' you'll be swept away so fast yah won't know what hit yah."

Lenore's eyes filled with tears, as she desperately tried to squirm down and away. She just _couldn't_ leave her Teddy to drown! She _couldn't_! He was _much_ too special to her!

The turtle clan finally reached their destination, the guys letting the girls down cautiously. It was then that one male turtle noticed he'd lost a little sister.

"Dammit!" Raphael growled. "I told her to forget that bear!"

Michaelangelo's head snapped up faster than usual. "Lenni!" He exclaimed, knowing just who Raphael had been referring to. He knew Lenore would _never_ leave her Teddy bear behind – _ever_.

Master Splinter's ears flattened and his whispers twitched as his tail swished back and forth on the ground apprehensively. "My son, go to her. But quickly!"

Raphael nodded, as did Michaelangelo – though, only Raphael was permitted to go. Michaelangelo instead grabbed HexAdecimal as Donatello grabbed Raphiella. They knew they each now had an extra girl to look after, but what choice did they have?

Lenore had finally reached the lair once more, and had had to tread through knee high water to get to her room. She quickly found her Teddy Bear and Backstreet Boys shirt she loved so much. She put her shirt on quickly, and tucked a CD into her shell, as she hugged her Teddy tightly to her chest.

"Don't worry Teddy, I'ma save you," she whispered to her beloved friend. She turned then to leave and screamed when a huge wave hit her, causing her to go flying backwards further down the hall. "AHHHHH!"

Raphael had seen the wave go into their lair just as he'd reached it, and quickly swung from one pipe to the next to get to his littlest sister. He reached her just as she and her Teddy went under, getting tossed around violently.

Without a moment's hesitation, he jumped down into the water and yanked Lenore up above water once more. Then, by sheer luck, he managed to grab hold of a pipe and lift them both up and out of the deadly waters. He swiftly stuck her on his back, making sure she held tight, then ran and hopped about for all that he was worth.

Lenore held tightly to Raphael, as she buried her face into him. She'd a death grip on him and her Teddy both – terrified to lose hold of either one.

Meanwhile, back where the others were, they all stood watching the water get higher and higher – much higher than usual. All were worried about the two siblings that had yet to return to safety.

Master Splinter strained his ears to listen for them, and gave a sigh of relief after a few moments of nothing but silence and the rush of water. "They are almost here," he informed his students.

"Look! Raph got her!" Daydream cried, pointing to where Raphael sat perched on a pipe with Lenore on his back.

Everyone cheered as Raphael reached them and swung Lenore down off his back to check her over for injuries of any kind.

Lenore was in tears, as she squirmed, just wanting to be held. She'd been terrified when she'd been knocked underwater and unable to come back up.

"Don't yah _ever_ do that again!" Raphael growled somewhat, shaking her slightly. "Yah scared me half to death!"

"I-I'm s-sorry!" Lenore choked out, tears streaming down her face.

"All this for a stupid Teddy Bear!" Raphael spat. "I coulda just got yah a new one!"

"No!" Lenore wailed. "Teddy's _not_ stupid! He's _not_!"

Raphael rolled his eyes and picked her up, hugging her close to his plastron. His actions spoke louder than words, letting everybody know something had happened to her that had scared him immensely.

"I thought I was gonna lose, yah Lenni," he whispered in her ear softly. "Don't do that to me, alright?"

Lenore nodded silently into his plastron, unable to say anything anyway without hiccupping.

"WATER!" Danceingfae shrieked suddenly, as she was the first to realize that the water was about to reach them – and not just by a little either.

Donatello quickly grabbed Machias, Splinter, and TygeroftheWynd as he hopped up onto a much higher pipe. There was no way he was losing a sister – not today.

Michaelangelo followed Donatello's actions, grabbing hold of Danceingfae, Mily, and Daydream once more, plus Arista we well.

Raphael helped Raphiella and HexAdecimal onto his back once more, also stealing Ziptango from Leonardo, knowing he would probably have to grab hold of Master Splinter eventually.

Leonardo clung tight to TMNTPunker as Master Splinter hopped onto his back so that they wouldn't lose one another. He too, quickly made his way up to where his brothers and sisters all dangled.

TMNTPunker clung tightly to Leonardo, burying her face into his plastron as he hopped up to where everyone else was. She had felt safe on his back, as it was easier to hold onto – but didn't feel as scared as before, now that she could bury her face into his plastron.

The turtle clan all hung there for quite some time, the girls often screaming and whining about how they couldn't hold on anymore. Some even going as far to almost fall into the water, when they really couldn't hold on any longer. The brothers were quite the sight, trying to catch whoever was falling without falling themselves or knocking anybody else off into the deadly water below.

Finally they were all able to return home to the lair once more. Nobody was prepared for the water damage they found. Their chairs and couch and mats were all over the place, all soaking wet. Toys had been swept out into the den or out into the sewer to be lost forever. The dojo was the only thing still in tact, surprisingly. Their bedrooms had all been tossed upside down, and some of the doors had been smashed in.

The girls walked around cautiously, making sure to stick close to their brothers and Sensei. They couldn't believe just what had happened to their home. Though, they were relieved to discover that all the secret hiding places they'd found to hide their most prized possessions were the way that they had been left perfectly fine.

Lenore clung tighter to Raphael as they walked closer to the room she shared with Mily. She'd refused to let him put her down, not that he had fought her about it or anything. She buried her face into his plastron and her Teddy Bear as they reached where she had gone under.

Raphael kissed her head softly. "Shh. You're safe, Kid. I swear."

Lenore relaxed slightly, but not by much. She was still scared that the water was going to come back and sweep her away like it had almost succeeded in doing earlier that day.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning up the lair and salvaging what they could. No one said a word really, unless they had a question to ask. All were too lost in thoughts about what _could_ have happened, had they not evacuated as quickly as they had. But as it was, all were grateful to still be safe, sound, and alive.

* * *

A.N.: Well….whatcha think? Was it long enough? Lol. Plz R&R! Thank-you! 


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